Once Upon a Time: Season 3 (my version)
by Celino
Summary: Henry's been kidnapped, Belle's been left behind in Storybrooke and Neal is in the Enchanted forest. What's gonna happen? As i can't wait for season 3, I'm writing my own version, putting in scenes and plotlines that I hope to see. There is no copywrite infringement intended, only appreciation for the world that Eddy and Adam created.
1. Setting the scenes

Author's note: Hi everybody! I love Once upon a time and can't wait for season three, so I'm writing my own version here. In my first chapter here, I'm just trying to give an idea of the types of plotlines I'm thinking of following. I may write this as a continuous story, or just write scenes that I want to see in the next season.

Either way, please enjoy reading my first chapter- it's a bit short, but it's really just a 'taster' of where I want to go- I'm hoping for longer chapters as we go on.

~..~..~..~..

Hook stood at the helm of the Jolly Roger, gazing across the azure blue waters towards the island before them.

"Welcome to Neverland, mates," he announced to his impromptu crew.

"Henry's in there," Regina whispered, her eyes scanning the island.

"And Greg and Tamara," Emma added.

Under Hook's instructions, they steered the ship into a sheltered cove and dropped anchor.

"So, what did you mean?" Emma asked Gold. "About Tamara and Greg working for someone we should all fear?"

Gold took a slow breath.

"There is only one person in Neverland I can think of who would be interested in Henry," he explained. "Peter Pan."

"Peter Pan?" Regina repeated, confused. She had never been to Neverland herself, so only knew him from the stories.

"As in 'the boy who never grows up'?" Emma confirmed sceptically.

"I take it from your tone, that you're not familiar with the true story," Hook's dark eyes were serious as they rested on Emma.

Emma's confused gazed travelled from Gold to Hook, seeing that for once, the two enemies were on the same page about something."How can Peter Pan be a bad guy?"She asked. "Didn't he just lead the Lost boys, fight pirates and fly?"

"Is this like your Jack and the beanstalk story, with the cow and the golden goose?" Hook queried lightly.

"Why would Peter Pan want Henry?" Regina demanded, wanting someone to get to the point.

"Like many stories from your adopted world, Emma, there is a grain of truth in it." Gold explained, his voice serious but surprisingly gentle. Almost sympathetic. "Peter Pan is indeed 'the boy who doesn't grow up', but ask yourself this: _Why _doesn't he grow up?"

David and Snow shared a worried look as Emma swallowed, feeling like she won't like the answer to that question.

"Why?"

Gold's eyes were serious as they travelled from Emma to Regina to the Charmings.

"Peter Pan doesn't grow up because absorbs the life force of boys."

"_What_?" Regina was aghast.

"But only a magical child will do," Gold continued. "The more powerful the boy, the longer he will remain young."

"A magical child?" Regina repeated. "Henry's not magical."

"The son of the Saviour," Gold reminded them all, his gaze landing on Emma. "The child of both the Daughter of Snow White and the Son of the Dark One."

Emma wanted to avert her eyes, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his gaze.

"True Love's Child," Gold whispered. "He may have been born in the Land Without Magic, but his blood," Gold assured them all. "His blood is most definitely magical."

"So he drains magical children, and that keeps him young," Regina surmised, feeling sick. Many people had called her evil in the past, but she would never have done something _that_ horrid to a child. "How does he know about Henry? Can he see the future?"

Gold closed his eyes regretfully.

"No," he admitted softly. "But I can."

All eyes were on Gold, now.

"Did you tell him?" Emma whispered. "Did you tell Peter Pan about Henry?"

Gold nodded, seeing the time had come for him to come clean.

"After my son first fell through the portal that took him to the Land Without Magic, I visited a seer," Rumple explained carefully, bracing himself. "She gave me her power of Sight, wanting to rid herself of the burden. Before she died, she made me one last prophesy: That I would find my son, and that the boy who led me to him would be my undoing."

"Henry." Emma whispered.

Gold nodded into the silence that followed this revelation.

"I couldn't see anything clearly for a long time, but that prophesy loomed over my head," he continued in a rush. "Eventually, I was able to see a picture of the boy, but his face was all I could see. So I drew a picture."

"And you gave it to Peter Pan," Regina hissed.

"He travels so many worlds, I thought he would be the best person to find the boy for me, and to ensure my survival," Rumple granted before turning his pleading eyes to Emma, who was staring at him with loathing.

"I swear, I had no idea that the boy would turn out to be your son, Emma. My own grandson."

Emma lost it.

"Ahh!"

"Emma!" David admonished as he stopped his daughter from raising her fist again.

"It's alright," Gold granted, rubbing his jaw. "I deserved that."

"You deserve a hell of a lot more than that," Regina hissed as Hook smirked at seeing the Dark One punched in the face.

"I'll help you get Henry back," Gold told them.

"Damn right you're gonna help get Henry back," Emma got into his face. "Or else _I'll_ be your undoing, Dark One."

Rumple kept calm.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in my life," he whispered. "And because of that, I lost my only son. I don't want to lose the last piece of him I have left." His dark eyes matched Emma's steadily. "Henry may be my undoing, but he's my grandson. I will help get your son back, Emma. For my son."

Emma studied Gold's face for a moment before nodding.

"Alright," she said slowly. "But I'm watching you, Gold."

"So," Snow said quickly, turning to the Pirate Captain. "Where's Peter Pan? That's where Henry would be, right?"

"Indeed," Hook granted, turning his gaze towards the island before them. "Peter Pan's home is in the centre of the island. Problem is," he admitted, "I've never been able to find it. It's well guarded by fairy magic."

"Fairies?" Regina repeated.

"Why would fairies guard someone who kidnaps and sucks the lives of children?" Snow couldn't believe it.

"These aren't like the fairies from the Enchanted Forest, Milady," Hook explained, casting his eyes over the group.

"You're going to find Neverland a much Darker place than you would imagine."

"So," Emma was impatient to get going, "how will we find him?"

Rumple sighed, sharing a look with the pirate before casting his eyes over the ocean. "By contacting those who know all about this island," he told the group.

"Are you mad?" Hook demanded of the older man. "They're merciless killers. And if you're lucky to survive their clutches, you'll be driven insane."

"There are exceptions to every rule," Rumple stated firmly. "On occasion, one is born with the rare trait of compassion, and will help, rather than kill. Fortunately for us," he smiled confidently, "I happen to know one."

"You _know_ one?" Hook asked sceptically.

"One what?" David asked warily.

"A Mermaid," Rumple answered simply.

There was silence for a full five seconds.

"A mermaid?" Emma repeated. This day was getting weirder by the minute. 'Guess I should be used to this by now,' she thought.

"She saved my life when I was a young man," Rumple explained. "As the Dark One, when I came to see Peter Pan, I found her living here." He paused, as if reliving a memory. "She'll help us find Henry," he assured softly.

Emma's mind landed on the only friendly mermaid she had read about in stories.

'No way...' she thought.

"This mermaid," she began slowly, "what's her name?"

Rumple grinned.

"Oh, you've heard of her, Miss Swan," he said surely. "Her name is Ariel."

~..~..~..~..

Greg slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying on a beach. Carefully, he shifted until he was on his hands and knees. Nothing seemed broken.

'Oh, no.'

His stomach suddenly heaved, and he started coughing up sea water. Unpleasant.

Panting as he recovered from almost drowning, Greg shielded his eyes from the sun as he scanned along the beach.

"Tamara!"

The boy had been held between them as they'd jumped into the portal. It had been a struggle to hold onto him in the swirling water, but as it settled, the boy had broken away.

Greg shakily got to his feet, turning, eyes searching.

"Tamara!"

Further along the beach, Greg spotted something move.

Hurrying over as quickly as his weak limbs could allow, Greg was relieved to see Tamara lying on the sand, coughing and spluttering as she purged the sea from her lungs.

"Portals are a bitch, huh?" She said, looking up at Greg shakily as he knelt beside her.

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling as he helped her up.

Greg wrapped Tamara in his arms, relief flowing through him.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he told her.

"Me too," Tamara smiled before her eyes began searching the coast line.

"Where's the kid?" she demanded.

Greg's eyes darted along the tide line, searching for the boy they'd risked their lives to get.

"We can't lose him, Greg!" Tamara frantically scanned the area. "They said he was important."

"I know what they said," Greg tried to calm the woman down. "And don't worry, Tamara, we'll find him."

"How?" Tamara whirled around to demand.

Greg pointed.

Following her partner's finger, Tamara smiled as she spotted the footprints leading from the beach and into the forest.

"Let's go."

Together, Greg and Tamara followed Henry's trail.

~..~..~..~..

Neal felt something cool and wet being dabbed on his forehead. Blinking water from his eyes, he slowly was able to focus his gaze to find himself lying on the floor of a wooden hut, a woman kneeling over him, pressing a cold compress gently against his face.

"He's awake," she called out.

Moments later, a man came into his line of sight. The man smiled.

"You have the healer's touch, Mulan," he told the woman affectionately before stepping closer to the straw pallet. "What's your name?"

"Neal," he rasped, wincing as pain lanced through his side. "Where am I?"

"Your safe," the woman, Mulan told him. "This place is a safe haven,"

"My name is Phillip," the man added. "This is Mulan, and this," he gestured to a woman who had just entered the cabin, "is Aurora, my True Love."

"I'm so glad to see you're awake," Aurora said in relief. "We found you unconscious and wounded on the beach. You've been drifting in and out of consciousness for a while."

"You would have died if we hadn't found you," Mulan added seriously.

"I thought I was dead," Neal commented drily. He tried to sit up, but fell back on the straw mattress, panting. Mulan quickly brought a cup of water to his lips and he drank thirstily.

"Thank you," Neal told the three of them. "Thank you for helping me."

"It was our duty and our honour," Phillip answered, the picture of nobility.

"Where am I?" Neal asked again, looking over his saviours and the small cabin he was in. "What's this land called?"

"It was once called The Enchanted Forest," Mulan answered. "But many years ago, the Evil Queen, Regina cast a terrible curse over the land. But for some reason, this small part of it was spared, and we know call it home."

"The Enchanted Forest," Neal repeated numbly, collapsing back onto the straw pallet in a mixture of disbelief and despair. Not only was he wounded, and would never see Emma or Henry again, but he was back in the last place he wanted to be.

"I'm home."

~..~..~..~..

"Okay Ruby," Belle instructed her friend, "pull over here."

Ruby carefully stopped her car by the side of the road, just before the town line. As instructed Belle had been following her Love's wishes, protecting Storybrooke once more from the outside world.

As Belle had no knowledge of magic, despite being the Dark One's servant for many months, she was thankful that Rumple had the foresight to prepare the cloaking spell in a way that made it easy for her to cast.

And that was how she found herself in Ruby's car, driving to the farthest points of Storybrooke, burying talismans in the earth, or throwing them in the harbour.

As Ruby dug the last hole right on the town line, Belle took out the final talisman and placed it in the ground, taking out the piece of paper as Ruby covered the object.

For the final time, Belle repeated the charm.

_"By magical blood it was broken._

_So by magical blood it's restored._

_Invisible to outside detection,_

_Storybrooke is protected once more."_

As the final word leaves her lips, Belle notices the ground where the talisman is buried glowing with the indigo light of magic. The light shot outward along the ground, connecting this taliman to the other three that she and Ruby had buried earlier. The two women watched as a shield rose up from the ground to envelop the whole town before fading from sight.

Belle watched sadly as the light of magic faded until the ground looked normal once more.

"Wow," Ruby was impressed. "It actually worked."

"Of course it did," Belle admonished her friend lightly. "It was Rumple's spell. Nice of him to make it user-friendly for me."

"You actually used Magic, Belle," Ruby commented.

Belle smiled slightly, happy that she held this small connection to Rumple: His protection spell was keeping them all safe.

"We did it," she announced. " Storybrooke is safe once more."

The drive back to town was sombre, as the two women had both become separated from the people they cared about.

However, they found their path back to Granny's blocked by a large crowd.

"What's going on?" Ruby wondered, stopping the car.

As the two of them got out of the car, Ruby heard a familiar voice that immediately drew a growl from her inner wolf.

"Your leaders have abandoned you!" King George was telling the townspeople. "They've left you to follow their own devices. They were going to leave you to die!"

"That's not true!" Archie pushed his way to the front to stand before the people of Storybrooke. "Regina was willing to sacrifice her own life to save this town. And Snow White and the Prince have always led us true. Sheriff Swan has kept this town safe, and she saved all of us!"

"So where are they now?" King George demanded. "Where are these 'great leaders' who are supposed to protect us?"

"They are on a quest to do just that: protect us!" Belle made her way forward until she was standing before George and the towns people. "Tamara and Greg stole the last magic beans we had, that could return us to The Enchanted Forest, and in the process, have also kidnapped Henry. Snow, David, Emma, Regina, Hook and Rumple have gone after them to rescue Henry, and find another way to make a portal to return here, and then take us home."

"And abandoning their people while they're at it," George sneered. "What kind of leaders abandon the very ones they've sworn to protect?"

"They left _for _their people," Belle turned to the crowd. "They left for _you_. Regina nearly died trying to save us, and she and Emma were able to work together to do so. And now," Belle finished, holding up the piece of scroll Rumple had left her, "thanks to Rumplestiltskin, our town is safe from outsiders once more."

"So we have The Evil Queen and The Dark One to thank for our safety?" George asked sceptically. "I doubt any of us wants to put our trust in _them_. Storybrooke now has no Mayor, no Sheriff, not even the fake Prince to lead them now. Therefore," George announced grandly, "I shall assume leadership over this town."

"And what makes you fit to lead this town?" Ruby demanded angrily before Belle could open her mouth. "You have killed in the past, to get things going your way, why on earth would _anyone_ trust you to be a good leader?"

George regarded the werewolf with cold eyes.

"Because I am a good leader of _people_, beast," he answered softly.

Ruby moved forward angrily, but Belle held her friend back.

"You cannot hope to be a good leader for these people," Belle turned once more to the crowd. "This man has committed murder and framed innocent people in his lust for power and control." She reminded the men and women around her. "If anyone is truly a beast, it is him," she pointed a finger at the former king.

"Well, you are the expert on beasts, now, aren't you?" George chuckled as Belle's jaw clenched. "Well," the man continued, "if you don't find me fit to lead this town, can anyone name a better candidate?" He challenged those around him. "I think you'll find the pickings rather... slim."

"I can think of a perfect candidate," Grumpy pushed his way onto the scene, followed by his brothers, including a recently restored Sneezy.

"Who?" George demanded.

But Archie and Ruby had already seen where grumpy was going, and together, they pointed at their chosen person.

"Belle."

Belle's blue eyes widened slightly as all eyes turned on her. She was well aware of the fact that she didn't look much like a leader at the moment, as she was still wearing Lacey's black dress under the long blue coat she wore. Not to mention that her clothes were now covered with soil and water from burying the talisman's around town.

"Her?" George scoffed. "She's nothing but the town librarian. What makes her fit to lead?"

Belle felt her jaw clench at the insult, and she drew herself up proudly.

"I am the daughter of Lord Maurice," she proclaimed for all to hear. "Our village was small, but it was ruled by a kind and just hand. I gave up my freedom to save my village and I will do everything I can to protect this town." Belle stepped forward until she stood directly in front of George. "I am fit to lead this town."

"Let's put this to a vote of the people," Archie interjected quickly. "We'll have a campaign and a debate, and the candidate with the most votes will become the leader of this town."

"I think that sounds fair," Belle agreed as a murmur of consent travelled around the crowd.

"Very well," King George nodded slowly, "it shall be put to the people. Let the best man win."

He offered his hand, and Belle took it cautiously, but matched his gaze steadily.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Librarian?" George whispered to Belle as the crowd slowly dispersed.

"I'm not afraid of you," Belle told him. "No one should be made to bow down to a power-hungry tyrant."

George's smile could have frozen the whole harbour.

"You should be afraid of me," he warned. "For, as you've already said, I have committed murder and framed the innocent. So I suggest you do the smart thing, and let me win, Librarian. Or else someone's story," his eyes travelled over Archie, Ruby and the dwarves, calculating, "will not have a happy ending."

~..~..~..~..

Henry's heart was pounding as he ran through the thick foliage that covered the island. He had no idea where he was going, but anywhere that was away from Tamara and Greg was fine by him.

He knew it. He _knew_ Tamara was evil. His mom had been right.

Thinking of his mom brought Henry to a stop, gasping for breath as sweat trickled down his face.

His mom.

It had been the best thing ever, seeing both of his moms working together to save Storybrooke. Joint heroes.

But Tamara and Greg had used the last magic bean.

As Henry's breath calmed down, he finally took a moment to look at the thick forest around him.

He was alone.

He shook himself.

'Come on, Henry," he told himself firmly. "You can't act like a scared little kid. You're on a quest now: to find a way back to your family."

Finding his second wind, Henry began running again, full of fresh determination.

He didn't notice the young girl following him, a bow and arrow in her hand.

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: So, what do you think? Before anyone asks, yes the girl following Henry is Tigerlily- I remember the Indians being a key part of Neverland, but they were seperate from the lost boys, even though they interacted regularly, and I hope they'll be included in the next season. I have a theory that they'll grow magic beans, and that's how Baelfire escaped from Neverland to our world. Otherwise, how else do you escape from an island that doesn't allow people to leave?

I saw in an interview with Eddy and Adam that they really want to put 'the little mermaid' into season three, as it is a story they both love, and I can just imagine Rumple being the one to have that connection, as whever mermaids have been mentioned in the series, he was connected somehow (Regina asking for his help with a 'certain mermaid' and Rumple saying the only way to get the squid ink was 'if you were a mermaid, or me'.) I think these mermaids are going to be much closer to the 'old stories' than the more modern version of mermaids. For those of you who don't know many of the old stories, think of the mermaids in 'Pirates of the Carribean: on Stranger tides'.

I also heard lots of people wondering why Belle was left behind. I wondered that too, until I began thinking that Storybrooke has now lost it's Mayor, it's Sheriff and it's Deputy. Who would lead the town now? Why Belle of course. She may be the Librarian, but Snow White was a Teacher. And Belle's family did rule over a village. Not quite the same as ruling a kingdom, but still, I think she qualifies. She's better than King George, at any rate, and I love watching Belle standing on her own two feet. (I loved S2E11, except for the ending, of course.)

And I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to see much of Tamara and Greg. I think we have our hands full with 'Past/flashback fairytale land', 'Present-day Fairytale land', 'Storybrooke' and 'Neverland'. Not to mention the new 'Wonderland' series coming out. I think we have enough characters, worlds and plotlines to contend with, and any more will be over crowding and confusing.

So, please review and tell me what you think of my first chapter of season three. I love discussions and feedback. Do you have any ideas you'd like? I have a couple, but I may need some help later on.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Meet Peter Pan and Ariel

Author's note: Hi everybody! Sorry it's taken me a while to update, but I've been sick. But, I've brainstormed and planned about five or six chapter sso far for this story, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to update regularly.

For the record, I do not think we will be seeing Peter Pan this quickly in Season three, considering all the build up they were doing in S2E21, but this is what I think 'the boy who never grows up' would be like if even the Dark One is afraid of him.

I hope you like the story I gave Ariel! It's sad, but we know how it's destined to end one day, don't we? I tried to based her story with how she met Rumple with the origional version of the little mermaid.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

~..~..~..~..

Neal opened his eyes slowly. No, he hadn't dreamt it. He was still lying on the same straw pallet, in the same cabin, only this time, it was Aurora bathing his forehead, not Mulan.

"Glad you're still with us," Aurora greeted, offering a bowl of soup. "Here. You should eat something."

Sitting up slowly, Neal accepted the bowl gratefully.

Aurora watched as the man ate carefully, mindful of his heavily bandaged wound.

"Neal," the princess began slowly. "Forgive me, but you don't appear to be from this land."

Neal smirked as he swallowed a mouthful of the broth.

"What makes you say that?" He asked her.

"Well, your clothes, for a start," Aurora gestured to his coat and shirt that were lying by the makeshift bed, having just returned from being cleaned of blood.

Neal nodded slowly around another mouthful.

"Well, you're right," he granted. "I fell through a magic bean portal."

"But," Aurora objected, "earlier, when you first found out where you were, you said 'I'm home'."

"Right again," Neal granted slowly, eyes on his food. "I was actually born here."

Aurora's eyes widened.

"You were?"

Neal nodded.

"And now I want to go back."

"Back where?" Aurora asked.

Neal kept his eyes on his food, but he couldn't stop the words. "To my real home."

Aurora studied the man's face, full of longing.

"You have loved ones there." She surmised.

Neal closed his eyes, seeing Emma's face once more.

_"I need you,"_ she had told him. _"I love you."_

Neal tilted his head back until he was leaning against the wall behind him, trying to keep his tears from falling.

Over ten years had passed since he'd left Emma in jail for his crime. Over ten years he'd been beating himself up about it. He'd tried to move on...

His stomach clenched at the thought of Tamara, and how she'd used him.

But Emma...

_"I need you. I love you."_

He saw her face so clearly in his mind.

And Henry...

"I have to get back," Neal told Aurora as firmly as possible.

Aurora's face was sympathetic as she shook her head.

"That's not possible, Neal."

"My True Love and my son are back there," Neal told the woman beside him. "They probably think I'm dead right now. I _have_ to get back." Neal had never really believed in 'True Love' before, but he was a believer now. Emma was his True Love, no question about it.

"Believe me, I understand," Aurora told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But you're still healing, and means of portal jumping are very rare here. The last people who tried were nearly killed fighting Cora."

Neal froze.

"Emma," he whispered. "She did come here, didn't she?"

Aurora's eyes widened in surprise.

"You know Emma?" Aurora asked. Neal nodded.

"And your son," Aurora continued slowly. "What's his name?"

Neal studied the Princess' face carefully. Did she know something?

"Henry," he answered. "My son's name is Henry."

Aurora gasped slightly, gazing at the man in front of her as if seeing him in a new light, which she was.

"What?" Neal questioned. "Can you help me?"

Aurora nodded.

"I can't help with portal jumping," Aurora reminded the man. "However, I may be able to help you contact your son."

~..~..~..~..

"Are you sure that Ariel will help us, Gold?" Regina asked as they made their way towards the shore.

Hook had been adamant that for a stranger to step foot on the island was a death sentence, and so chose to remain on his ship. However, he did allow the group the use of one of his long boats to get closer to the shore.

"Ariel will help me," Gold answered surely as he pulled on his oar. "Let us just hope that her sisters don't follow her."

"Her sisters?" Snow repeated warily.

"You've met a siren before, haven't you, David?" Rumple asked the man rowing beside him.

"Yes," David confirmed cautiously.

"Well, mermaids are rather similar," Rumple explained. "They use their power to lure a man to their deaths."

"What power is that, exactly?" Emma asked.

"Their singing, primarily" Rumple explained. "Mermaid song is the most beautiful you have ever heard, and when you hear it, you have to follow it. If not, their song will haunt you until you have become insane with the longing for it."

With a bump, the longboat reached the sand bank.

"So, why are we coming onto the land when mermaids live in the ocean?" Emma asked.

"Because we're more likely to find Ariel closer to the shore, whereas her sisters prefer the deeper water," Rumple explained carefully. "If I were to try and contact her out on open water, we may end up attracting the wrong mermaid."

"And if they're anything like a siren, I'm guessing that would be bad," David surmised. Rumple nodded in confirmation.

"So, how do we contact this mermaid, Gold?" Regina demanded.

"_You_ do not do anything," Rumple informed the group firmly. "Ariel knows _me_. _I'll _be the one calling her."

He made his way along the shoreline until he found an area with deeper water and fewer waves, and sat on one of the large rocks where the ocean eddied and swirled playfully.

Carefully, Rumple reached down with one hand and touched the water with a glowing fingertip, causing ripples of magic to pulse outwards and down through the waves.

"Are you sure she'll come?" Snow asked anxiously.

Rumple nodded as he straightened up, casting his eyes over the bright blue waters surrounding the island.

"Absolutely," he told them. "All we have to do is wait."

"Wait?" Emma protested. Her son was on this _god-damn_ island _alone_, and instead of searching for him, they were being told to sit here on the beach and wait for a mermaid who may or may not come?

Apparently sensing the woman's tension, Gold's eyes found Emma's.

"Yes, Miss Swan, we wait," he repeated. "And I promise: if anyone can help us find your son, it's Ariel."

Resigning herself, Emma plonked herself down on the sand.

Slowly, Snow, David and Regina followed suit.

And they waited.

~..~..~..~..

Henry sat down beside a tree, sweat rolling down his face. What was he doing? He wondered. He didn't know where he was, he had no idea where he was going, his throat was parched and he had no idea where he could find fresh water. And now, he was completely exhausted.

Taking deep breaths, Henry tried to calm down the panic that was starting to rise.

"Okay Henry," he told himself, "I think you're far enough away from Tamara and Greg, so now, what you have to do is find water, and then you can work on finding a way back home."

"No one leaves Neverland."

Startled, Henry scrambled to his feet as a girl, not much older than he was, stepped out from behind a tree, a bow and arrow ready in her hand.

She was clearly an Indian, Henry noticed. Her dark skin and the buckskin dress she wore being obvious indicators. However, she wasn't wearing a feathered headband, like the Indians in the stories did. Instead, the girl's dark hair was loose, falling almost to her waist, and only a single slender braid was seen trailing over her left shoulder, tied with beads and feathers for decoration.

"Who are you?" Henry asked slowly.

The girl raised her bow to take aim at Henry's head, and he felt his heart pounding in his chest.

"Who are _you_?" She demanded.

"Henry," he answered.

"What are you doing in Neverland, Henry?" The girl asked.

"I didn't _want_ to come here," Henry stated for the record. "I was kidnapped. Wait..." he added as he finally registered what the girl had told him. "I'm in _Neverland_?"

The girl looked at him quizzically.

"Kidnapped?" She repeated. "By the Shadow?"

Henry shook his head, his eyes still on the arrow aimed directly at him. "By Greg and Tamara," he stammered. "They said I was important, and they brought me here."

The girl's eyes widened and she lowered her bow.

"You must be the one He wants," she whispered in realisation.

"Who?" Henry asked, hoping to finally find out what was going on.

"There you are!"

Henry whirled around to see Greg and Tamara making their way towards them.

"What do you want with me?" Henry demanded as he backed away, ready to run, but hoping for answers first.

"We told you Henry," Greg said calmly, wanting to grab the boy without much fuss, "you're important."

"For what?"

Suddenly, the girl was between Henry and his pursuers, this time aiming the arrow at Greg's head.

"I am Tiger-Lily, Daughter of the Chief," she told them all, "and this boy is under my protection."

"I don't think so sweetheart," Tamara told her. "We've gone through a lot of trouble to find Henry, and we've got a delivery to make."

Tiger-Lily drew her bow tighter, her face determined.

"Then you will fail," she told them.

Greg lunged forward to try and grab Henry, just as Tiger-Lily loosed her arrow, getting him in the shoulder.

As Greg's scream of pain shot out of his mouth, Tiger-Lily grabbed Henry's hand and began running.

"If you really are the one that he wants, Henry, I have to get you out of here," she told them as they ran, Henry stumbling slightly as he tried to keep up with her. "Because the Shadow didn't bring you here, there's a chance he doesn't know about you yet. My tribe can protect you, as the Lost Ones never come into our village. We are a safe haven for the boys they bring here."

Henry still didn't know what was going on, but he followed Tiger-Lily willingly. Maybe at her village, he will finally learn who this 'he' is, that they've been talking about.

~..~..~..~..

"So, Gold," Emma began, they'd been waiting for over fifteen minutes for Arial and she was getting restless. "How do you know a mermaid?"

"I told you, Miss Swan," Rumple answered in a measured voice, "she saved my life when I was a young man."

Emma raised her eyebrows.

"That's it?" She asked, sceptically.

Sighing, Rumple simply stared out over the ocean, the memories swimming in front of his eyes. He didn't want to tell Emma about Ariel.

"Fine," Emma granted as she was met with silence. "Don't talk to me."

Rumple cast his eyes downward thoughtfully. The last time he had seen his son, Bae had been angry with him for 'disappearing' when he came to town. Maybe if he had made more of an effort to talk to him...

Rumple swallowed.

"I was a young man," he began slowly, gaining Emma's attention. "And I had been labelled a coward my whole life, because of my father's actions during the previous Ogre's war. Wanting to get away from that life, I boarded a ship to travel to another realm. But a storm rose up and the ship was sunk. Everyone on board was drowned, except me."

"Ariel saved you," Emma whispered.

Rumple nodded. "But I didn't know it then. I woke up on the shore, and it was Milah kneeling over me. She had found me on the beach."

"And Ariel?" Emma prompted gently after a moment's silence.

"Ariel turned up in our town a few days later, as a human," Rumple continued carefully. "But, I didn't know who she was, and she was mute, so she couldn't tell me. I only found out later." He closed his eyes sadly. "Apparently, she had sold her voice to the Dark One at the time, in exchange for legs so she could come to our town to find me. But, I had fallen in love with Milah by the time she arrived."

Emma swallowed, seeing how this story was going to end.

"After our wedding day, Ariel disappeared, and I never saw her again until I came to Neverland searching for Peter Pan. She was a mermaid once more, but still mute. She had been out-casted from her homeland, as a mute mermaid doesn't have much power, but her sisters followed her, unable to let her be alone for all eternity. Mermaids are immortal, you know." Rumple finished.

"So, if you hadn't fallen in love with Milah," Emma put forward gently, "you could've married Ariel?"

Rumple wasn't sure how to react to that question, especially now that he knew Milah had never loved him...

"I could have," he granted carefully, "but then Baelfire wouldn't have been born."

He turned to the woman beside him who had earned his son's heart.

"I like to think that he was one good thing I've done in my life," he told her.

"Look!" Snow got everyone's attention as she stood up, pointing out into the water.

Rumple and Emma looked up in time to see a splash as a tail fin hit the water.

"She's here," Rumple announced, gesturing for Emma to back away from the water's edge.

Rumple watched as Ariel came to the surface, her shimmering green tail splashing slightly in the more shallow water, yet it was deep enough for her to just be able to swim up to the rocks where he sat.

She hadn't changed at all since he last saw her. Her skin was still pale and unblemished, her dark red hair fell across her shoulders like a curtain of fire before fanning outward in the water, and her large blue eyes reminded him so much of Belle...

Rumple swallowed.

"Hello Ariel," he greeted.

And while he felt that he deserved only scorn from the one who saved his life so many years ago, Ariel, as before, greeted him with a bright smile.

"Ariel," Rumple began quickly, "do you remember me telling you about my son, Baelfire?"

Ariel nodded.

"Well, Baelfire now has a son." He informed her. "And his name is Henry."

Ariel mouthed the name carefully before breaking into another smile.

"Why isn't she saying anything?" Regina demanded.

"She's mute," Emma told her.

"Well that's useful," Regina muttered sullenly.

"Hey," David admonished, "she's helping us."

"She hasn't agreed to anything yet," Regina reminded them.

"Ariel," Rumple leaned forward slightly and Ariel came closer to hear, "I need your help to correct a mistake I made many years ago. Do you remember when I came here, to give a picture to Peter Pan?"

Ariel swallowed, nodding.

Rumple's expression became remorseful.

"It was a picture of Henry," he told her, and the mermaid's eyes widened with shock.

"I didn't know it at the time," Rumple was quick to add. "But now my grandson is lost somewhere in this land, and I don't know where he is. And I can't let Peter Pan get to him. Will you help me find him, Ariel?" He pleaded. "I'll give you anything you like in return."

Ariel looked at him inquiringly, and Rumple realised that he'd just said the very thing that had trapped all of his previous clients to his deals.

"I trust you won't ask for anything unreasonable," he added. "Will you help?"

Ariel nodded.

"And in return?"

Ariel thought for a moment before reaching up and using Rumple's tie to pull him down further for a kiss.

Rumple froze as Ariel's lips touched his. He had _not _expected this...

As quickly as it happened, Ariel broke away, disappearing under the water.

"I did _not_ agree to that, Ariel!" Rumple objected as he stood up, though he was unsure if she heard him.

However, Ariel could be seen, waving to him from deeper water. Blowing him one last kiss, she smiled once more before diving under the waves.

Rumple sighed and rubbed his eyes. He'll need to tell Ariel about Belle, the next time they met.

_Belle_...he flinched slightly, hoping this didn't get back to her.

Although, as Rumple made his way back to the sandy shore, he realised that might be a bit of an ask, judging by the looks on his companions' faces.

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that," Regina muttered wryly turning toward the longboat.

"Ariel agreed to help us," Rumple reminded them, hoping to get off the subject.

"Yeah, I could see that," Snow nodded.

"Is this why you didn't want Belle to come?" David asked curiously.

"_No_," Rumple said emphatically, before taking a deep breath.

"Let's get back to the ship."

~..~..~..~..

Greg was breathing hard against the pain as Tamara tried to stop the blood coming out of his shoulder.

"We've gotta get this arrow out," Tamara muttered.

"How?" Greg demanded. "Something tells me there aren't any hospitals here."

Tamara held his gaze steadily. "Don't worry," she told him. "We'll figure something out."

Hearing a rustle behind her, Tamara turned and found herself staring down the point of a sword towards the cold eyes of a tall teenage boy. Others were gathered behind him.

"Do you know who we are?" the boy asked.

"Sorry, we're new here," Tamara told them, trying to stay calm.

"We're the Lost Ones," the one holding the sword said firmly. "My name is Felix. We work for the one in charge of this land."

"Can you help Greg?" She asked.

"No, but perhaps He can." The apparent leader told her, casting his eyes carelessly over Greg's wound. "The Indians here are far too much trouble than it's worth, so we find it best to steer clear."

"Thanks," Greg spat sarcastically, "I'll remember that."

"It's thanks to one of those Indians that we lost the boy we brought here," Tamara told them, immediately gaining the Lost One's attention.

"The boy is here?" The leader asked. "The one He wants?"

Tamara nodded.

"We were told he was important, and to bring him here."

The leader, Felix, grinned hungrily.

"Oh, he's very important," he granted, gesturing for his companions to help Greg to his feet. "And if you truly have brought him the boy He wants, he'll be only too happy to reward you with anything you desire."

Tamara felt her hands being tied behind her back as a bag went over her head, hands gripped her arms roughly, pushing her forward.

Greg moaned in pain as he was treated the same.

"Come with us," Felix told his captives, as if they had a choice. "We'll take you to him."

Stumbling forward, Tamara had no choice but to walk where she was led.

After what felt like hours, Tamara suddenly felt the group stop. She heard a creaking sound and a cool breeze passed over her, bringing with it a strange smell that reminded her of when she used to climb trees as a child. Faintly, she could hear what sounded like insects buzzing around nearby.

The hands gripping her arms shoved her forward again, and Tamara realised that they were going down, and the warm sunlight that she had felt on her back was fading.

Were they going underground?

After a few more minutes, Tamara was brought to a stop.

Her blindfold was ripped off her head, and Tamara found herself standing beside Greg in an underground room, tree roots snaked their way across the ceiling before making their way downward, a natural framework for the walls and ceiling. Candles hung in lanterns from the ceiling, though they offered only just enough light to see by.

Ahead of them, just outside the candle light, a throne could be seen, carved out of what looked like more tree roots. Or was it woven branches? Tamara wasn't sure.

Sitting on the throne, one leg thrown carelessly over one of the carved wooden arms, sat a figure, though as they were in shadow, Tamara could tell anything about them.

"Tamara," the figure greeted coolly, and Tamara was shocked that, not only did the figure know who she was, but the voice belonged to a boy. "And Greg Mendel, formerly Owen. Welcome to Neverland."

Tamara and Greg shared a look.

"Sorry," Tamara began slowly. "Do we know you?"

"You should," the figure answered, and Tamara was struck once again by the youthful tone. But there was something about that voice that sent a chill up her spine...

"Although," the figure continued lightly, and Greg could feel goose bumps spreading along his arms, "I have always preferred a certain amount of anonymity."

"Who are you?" Greg demanded.

An arrogant laugh burst forth from the shadows surrounding the throne, and again, Tamara felt a shiver travel along her spine.

Was the dim light playing tricks on her, or were those shadows moving?

'Stop it,' she told herself. 'There are only candles in here, and candle lights flicker, so of course the shadows would be moving as the light moves.'

"I'm only the power behind the organisation you work for," the figure answered.

"What?" Greg mustn't have heart right. "What do you mean, we work for _you_?"

"Exactly that," the figure answered coldly, standing up.

"I need to know what's going on in all the other worlds, and that often means getting the locals to do what I want," he explained as he came forward slightly. "After all, I can't collect the shadows I need on my own, now, can I?"

As the figure came forward, Tamara suddenly realised why it was so dark in this room, despite all the candles.

The shadows _were_ moving.

"I am Peter Pan."

He was a boy, like the stories say, but that's where the similarities ended.

His skin was pale, and his dark hair fell into his equally dark eyes. Those eyes, unlike the stories, were not filled with laughter and happy thoughts, but were deep, cold and _ancient_. Tamara could practically see the centuries that this boy had lived in his eyes.

But it wasn't the contrasting impressions of age and youth that drew Tamara's eyes.

It was the _shadows_.

Dozens of shadows surrounded Peter Pan, filling the room with their darkness. Some were hovering close to his body, weak and fading, while others rose up behind him, dark and foreboding in their size.

Men's shadows, women's shadows, the shadows of girls and boys...all were attached to him, and under his command.

"Do you like my collection?" He asked with a grin. "Some people collect potions, or hearts... I prefer shadows."

"I, uh," Greg swallowed, struggling to accept what his eyes were seeing, "I thought Peter Pan was the boy with no shadow?"

"Oh, I don't have _my own_ shadow," Peter Pan granted lightly. "_My_ shadow has to find potential boys for me. But until the right one is found, I have my collection."

One faint shadow crawled weakly along the floor towards the two outsiders as far as it could. It appeared to be the shadow of an old man. With one crocked finger it pointed, and Tamara glanced to find it was pointing to one of the many tunnels that joined onto the room.

Peter Pan noticed however and with a swift clench of his fist, the shadow of the old man flinched, contorting in silent agony before fading from sight altogether.

The room became slightly brighter as all the other shadows shrunk backwards in fear of their master.

Peter Pan turned his cold dark eyes on the two adults in front of him.

"Now," he began, his expression hungry. "Do you have the boy I want?"

Greg and Tamara glanced at each other.

"We don't know," Greg said slowly.

Peter Pan tilted his head curiously.

"Felix."

The Lost Boy stepped forward and yanked on the arrow still protruding from Greg's shoulder. The man screamed in pain as blood poured from the open wound. Tamara tried to help him, but the other Lost Boys held her back.

"Do you have the boy I want?" Peter Pan asked calmly.

Tamara glared.

"You're sick," she hissed at him. "We've spent years trying to cleanse our world of magic and you claim to be the one behind it all?"

"Magic should only be with those who know how to control it," Peter Pan answered. "And I do. All the magic you got rid of in your world was sent to me, making me more powerful. Thank you."

Tamara shook her head.

"No."

Peter Pan's dark eyes locked on to Tamara's.

"'No' what?"

"No, I refuse to do your magic work for you," Tamara clarified. "Magic is _unholy_. And you're a _demon_."

Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Greg broke free of his captors. Tamara did likewise and together, they ran towards the tunnel that the shadow of the old man had pointed them towards.

Just before they reached the tunnel entrance, pain laced through Tamara's body, and she collapsed onto the ground, Greg beside her.

Tamara felt herself being dragged back into the centre of the room until Peter Pan, and his multitude of shadows loomed over them.

Slowly, Peter Pan began to smile.

"You still have no idea who you're dealing with, do you?" he asked, signalling Felix with one hand. Stepping forward, Felix grabbed Greg by the shoulders, pulling the man to his feet.

Peter Pan looked down at Tamara.

"While I do love playing hide and seek," he told her, "I'd much rather you just tell me where the boy is."

Turning her head slightly, Tamara noticed that Peter Pan was actually standing on her shadow. Was that why she couldn't escape?

Looking back into those ancient black eyes, Tamara raised her head defiantly.

"I quit your organisation," she told him.

Peter Pan shrugged.

"Fair enough," he granted breezily. "I need a new shadow now, anyway."

Greg's fuzzy mind was pulled away from the pain in his shoulder at that comment. What did that mean?

Greg watched as a couple of the Lost Boys brought forward candles and placed them along one side of Tamara's body, casting Tamara's shadow clearly across the floor.

Greg felt the heavy weight of dread fill his stomach as Peter Pan reached out a hand and actually _took hold_ of Tamara's shadow.

"Wait-" he tried, but it was too late.

Tamara's agonised scream tore through the air.

A blood-chilling _R-I-I-I-P_ was heard as Tamara's very shadow began to be torn away from her body.

"Wait!" Greg pleaded. "Henry's with the Indians!"

Peter Pan paused, his hand still holding Tamara's shadow. There was silence, except for Tamara's pain-wracked sobs.

"Henry?"

"He's with the Indians," Greg repeated. "A girl called Tiger-Lily shot me and took him."

Peter Pan's dark eyes slowly turned to met Greg's gaze.

"Now that wasn't so hard now, was it?" He asked, casually flicking his wrist and reattaching Tamara's partially ripped shadow back on to her body.

"Put them with the rest," he ordered, and The Lost Boys stepped forward and roughly ushered Greg and Tamara out of the room.

As the Lost Boys left, Peter Pan couldn't help but feel the anticipation rising in him. What did he need of a new shadow, when the boy he'd been waiting centuries for was finally here?

Walking over to the side of the room, Peter pan pulled a long, thin chain. Somewhere above him, he could hear the tinkling sound of bells.

Almost immediately, a small fairy appeared by his side.

"Go to the Indian village, Tink," he ordered. "And find me the boy called Henry."

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: Did I make Peter Pan creepy enough? I can re write it if you weren't creeped out!

I was trying to think of how Peter Pan could be scary enough to make even Rumplestiltskin afraid of him, and I started thinking of how he apparently 'rips the shadow' from your body...why would he do that? Perhaps he uses shadows much like Cora used hearts? Only instead of allowing him to control the person (though he may well do) he uses them to add their life to his own, prolonging his life until the next magical boy he needs is found.

I thought that Rumple would only be afraid of someone more powerful than he was, and I also wondered how did Tamara and Greg learn how important Henry was... So I figured Peter Pan was much like a giant spider, touching all these different worlds, trying to control or take the magic from where ever he could.

Another part of the Peter Pan story was that, as well as never growing up, Peter Pan couldn't understand true emotions and feelings, like love. So I saw him as being something like a powerful, ancient, unfeeling, selfish child. Make sense at all? Hope I gave that impression.

I'm planning for Aurora to contact Henry (and maybe Snow and Charming too) in the Netherworld, letting them know that Neal is alive. I'm also planning for the Indians to be growing magic beans, which was how Neal escaped from Neverland in the first place.

I was just originally going to write scenes in this that I wanted to see happen in Season 3, but I'm getting quite a few ideas brainstorming, and so I'll do my best to make a proper story. I want to try and make it a full 22 chapters, just like there are 22 episodes in a season, but I'm not doing any flashbacks as such, so it may work out a little differently, but we'll see!

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review for me, I love feedback and if anyone has any ideas on how I can improve my writing, do tell!

Celino.


	3. Netherworld Reunion

Author's note: Hi everybody! Here's my third chapter, hope you enjoy reading it. I'll be doing quite a bit of musing at the bottom, so feel free to skip it if you're not interested- I won't be offended.

~..~..~..~..

Hook watched as the long boat was hoisted up to allow its passengers to re-board his ship.

"Your mission was successful, I take it?" He queried. "The mermaids didn't kill you all, so that's something, at least."

"Ariel agreed to help us," Emma told him. "She'll find Henry and then report back to us."

"Outstanding," Hook commented drily, though he was impressed. "I've never heard of any man able to meet with a mermaid and come out alive and well."

"There is an exception to every rule," Rumple reminded the pirate evenly.

"So what have you been up to, Hook?" Regina asked, noticing a bottle of rum by the helm. "Getting drunk?"

"Oh that?" Hook glanced at the bottle with a smile. "No, just checking that the stock is all in order, Your Majesty. Actually," he continued quickly, gesturing to the island, "I've been keeping an eye on things on land, and I did see a couple of interesting things."

"Like what?" Emma asked warily before hope began filling her. "Did you see Henry?"

"Unfortunately not, Love," he told her apologetically. "I did, however, recently spot both Tamara and Greg, being escorted by several Lost Boys through the jungle. Only got a glimpse of them, though, but they were heading towards the eastern side of the island."

"I thought you said Peter Pan lived in the centre?" Rumple reminded the captain.

"I did, and he does," Hook replied. "Perhaps there are other entrances, or perhaps they were taking their prisoners somewhere else."

"Prisoners?" Snow repeated.

"They were blindfolded and gagged," Hook confirmed. "All I know was that Henry wasn't with them."

"Maybe Peter Pan already has him." Regina voiced her fear.

"If he did, we would know it by know," Hook assured them all.

"In that case, we should be relieved," Rumple put in. "Tamara and Greg, the very people who tried to kill all of us and then kidnapped Henry, are now prisoners of Peter Pan and trapped in Neverland. While Henry is still out there on the island, safe for now."

"For now," Emma repeated.

"Wait."

All eyes turned on Regina, whose expression was filling with dread.

"Did Tamara and Greg _know_ that Henry was the one Peter Pan wanted?" She asked, her voice beginning to rise with panic. "Is that why they took him? If they're with the Lost Boys now, they could've told them. Peter Pan could know Henry's on the island by now."

"He could get to Henry before we could," Emma finished faintly.

"Peter Pan controls practically everything in this world, right down to the weather. If he knew about Henry we'd see something _change_," Hook tried to reassure the two women, gesturing to the still clear blue sky and calm sea. "One thing you can bank on in Neverland: you can always tell what mood Pan is in."

Rumple turned to cast his eyes over the clear blue waters of the Neverland ocean.

'_Ariel_,' he called silently in his mind. '_Where are you?_'

~..~..~..~..

"Alright," Grumpy announced to his brothers, bundles of posters at his feet. " Dwarves: in the absence of Snow White and the Prince, we must ensure the safety and security of our town of Storybrooke, by helping Belle win this campaign against King George."

"Don't we have to call him Albert Spencer here?" Sneezy queried.

"His name is Mud, as far as I'm concerned," Leroy spat out, plonking a pile of posters and a staple gun in his brother's arms. "You and Happy take the town centre, make sure you cover the Library, the Rabbit Hole and Gold's shop. Lots of people around there know Belle, but a lot of people don't. We need to keep her in the spotlight."

Grumpy glanced across the volunteer's centre at the Convent, where Belle, the Blue Fairy and Dr. Hopper were in conference, organising posters, speeches and future plans for the town.

Grumpy had suggested that they make an example of George if they won, by sending him over the town line, but Belle put her foot down.

She did, however, suggest several ideas for getting Storybrooke back on track, including re opening the library, making the mines safer for the dwarves to work in, as well as some new learning programmes at the school.

The rest of the room was filled with fairies, as well as Granny, Ruby and other volunteers in the town who preferred Belle to Spencer. The whole room was busy, organising groups, brainstorming new ideas for slogans, making flyers and generally showing their support for the woman they wanted as their new Mayor.

Grumpy glanced towards the group of volunteers who were making blue rosettes to hand out to people to show their support for Belle. Astrid was among them, though he would always love her fairy name: Nova.

She glanced up from her work after knocking a box of fabric over, and their eyes met for a moment.

Grumpy couldn't help but smile. He hadn't had the courage to try and speak with her for the longest time, but when Belle had suggested they make a base of operations and the Blue Fairy had volunteered the Convent, Grumpy knew he would have no choice but to see her.

He still hadn't worked up the courage to talk to Nova, but just seeing her was enough, for now.

Belle smiled, thanking the Blue Fairy and Dr Hopper as they packed up their papers and plans. She hadn't thought that she stood much chance against someone like Spencer, but, looking around the room at all the people who were there to help her, Belle felt that Storybrooke could regain a feeling of unity, not as a result of fear, but from a common goal: to live in a safe community.

Putting away the last of the papers, Belle finally revealed Henry's story book lying on the desk. She hoped Henry wouldn't mind her borrowing it. She'd been reading it, trying to get a better idea of all the different people who made up this town- she had been locked up for some time in Regina's cell after all, and then all that time with her memory loss... She'd also been reading about King George, and the things that he'd done in the past to David and Snow, trying to guess what he could have planned for _her_. Reading gave her comfort, distracting her from the various stresses of the campaign, as well as distracting her from worrying about Rumple and the others. Though she was planning to read Rumple's story when she had more time to herself, to learn more about the man she loved and the son he risked everything for.

Though she had originally hoped their base of operations could have been in her beloved Library, she was glad now, that Mother Superior had suggested the Volunteer Centre at the Convent. It already had all the things they needed to organise groups of people to help spread the word of her plans for Storybrooke and, having this connection to such a beloved group of people as the fairies, showed just how much they supported Belle in the campaign, which, Belle had to admit, would probably help her cause more than if they had operated from the still-yet-to-be-opened Library.

Looking around, Belle spotted the Dwarf she had met as Dreamy gazing wistfully across the room at a fairy organising the rosettes. Smiling, Belle assumed that the woman was the Love that he had gone to meet on Firefly Hill after they met at the Tavern.

She made her way over to him quietly.

"Go talk to her, Leroy," he told her friend, smiling slightly when he started, taken by surprise.

Grumpy shook his head, turning away.

"I can't," he admitted, reaching for the last pile of posters. "I have to go put these up around Granny's, the town hall and the hospital."

Belle placed a hand on the dwarf's arm gently.

"What happened to following your dreams?" She asked him.

Grumpy lowered his eyes. He wasn't that dwarf anymore. His pickaxe said it clearly.

"You gave Rumple the potion needed to bring my memories back," Belle told him. "I would still be lost now, if it weren't for you." She waited until he met her eyes once more. "I don't want you to lose yourself, too. Follow your dreams again, follow your heart. The one you love is _right there_," Belle gestured to the rosettes table, and the Dwarf's eyes followed.

Taking a deep breath, Leroy placed the posters back on the table, glancing at Belle.

"Thanks," he told her gratefully before turning and walking towards the rosettes table.

Smiling, Belle watched happily as the fairy, (Nova, was it?) smiled in greeting as Leroy approached and they began to talk.

Belle was glad to see there were still chances of people getting their happy endings.

"Excuse me?"

Turning, Belle saw a man and woman entering the volunteer centre and approach her.

"Are you Belle French?" The woman asked. Her long hair was the colour of dark gold and while a little was tied back off her face, revealing pale blue eyes, the rest of her hair hung loose across her shoulders.

"Yes I am," Belle answered, and the woman smiled, extending a hand.

"Hi, my name's Kathryn, or Abigail, as I was known back home."

"Which would you prefer?" Belle queried, accepting the hand with a smile. She had just read about the daughter of Midas in Henry's book.

"Abigail," the woman replied after a moment. "I think I did a better job as Abigail than Kathryn. And this," she gestured to the tall man beside her, "is my husband, Fredrick."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Belle," the man greeted graciously, the picture of nobility.

'He must have been a knight back home,' Belle mused, unable to recall his story at the moment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Belle greeted. "How can I help you?"

"Actually, we were wanting to help you," Fredrick began. "Abigail and I have gone against King George before, if fact," he gestured to his wife, "Abigail was arranged to marry the Prince, before he saved me from a curse and reunited me with my love once more."

"Really?" Belle was grateful for the offer of help, and vowed to read Fredrick's story as soon as possible. She nodded in agreement. "Any friend of David's is surely a friend of mine."

"David?" Fredrick queried.

"The Prince." Belle clarified.

"I always thought his name was James," Abigail frowned slightly in thought.

Belle sighed. She had read of the story of David's twin brother, but clearly, these two hadn't.

"I can see we'll need to talk," she told them, before getting an idea.

"Fredrick," she began thoughtfully. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but were you a knight, back in the Enchanted forest?"

"He was the bravest knight in my father's realm," Abigail informed her proudly.

"But, I am simply a teacher here, Lady Belle," Fredrick clarified.

"Snow White was a teacher," Belle reminded him, "and I was a mental patient."

"I thought you were the Librarian?" Fredrick asked with a smile.

"Actually, with luck, I shall be the Mayor." Belle announced, almost laughing at the great leaps her life in this world was taking.

"However, even if I do become Mayor, Storybrooke will still be without a Sheriff," Belle continued. "So, Fredrick," she put forward, "As the bravest knight of the realm, and an ally of the Prince, would you be willing to protect our town as Sheriff?"

"I can't think of anyone more perfect for the job," Abigail said, gazing at her love proudly.

Though he seemed surprised by the sudden job offer, Fredrick bowed his head dutifully.

"It would be my honour," he answered.

~..~..~..~..

Henry gazed around the village excitedly as Tiger-Lily lead him through the houses, past children playing games, women sewing and cooking and men carving and building.

People called out greetings to Tiger-Lily as they passed and she waved back with her free hand, the other still holding tightly to Henry's as she led him to the largest building, made of wood and covered with animal skins.

Henry swallowed apprehensively when he spotted the two large Indian warriors standing on either side of the entrance. They each carried a club in hand, though one had what looked like a pirate's sword hanging from his belt.

'Wow,' Henry thought apprehensively as they got closer. 'Indians really did wear war paint.'

"We are here to see my father, the Chief," Tiger-Lily announced. "This boy," she pulled Henry forward, "seeks asylum from Peter Pan."

The two guards shared a look, before nodding, indicating they were free to enter.

Pushing aside the buckskin curtain, Tiger-Lily lead Henry inside, where his senses were flooded by the smell of wood-smoke and something sweet, which made him feel slightly dizzy.

Looking around the room, Henry saw an old man, his long silver hair braided down his back, sitting next to a small fire in the centre of the room, staring at the smoke, and now and then, he would add a sprinkle of leaves and powders on the smouldering logs.

'Well,' Henry coughed, 'that explains the weird smells.'

"Father," Tiger-Lily greeted, and it was only then that Henry noticed another man in the tent. He was a little older than David, but he looked so big, it was like he was made of logs or stone or...something. But, when the man stepped closer to the fire light, Henry noticed that, while big, the man was wearing an animal-skin cloak, which added to his size, as well as several feathers braided into his hair, which was almost as long as his daughters.

"Tiger-Lily," the Chief's reprimanded his daughter with a deep voice that made Henry feel like he should bow or kneel or..._how do you address an Indian chief anyway?_ He wondered.

"We are consulting the spirits, child," the chief continued. "There is a Great Darkness headed our way."

"But that is why we are here, father," Tiger-Lily insisted, pulling Henry into the flickering fire light.

Upon seeing Henry's face, the chief drew himself up to his full height, the feathers in his hair actually brushing the ceiling.

"Why did you bring him here?" the man demanded, pointing an accusing finger in Henry's direction. "He will bring the Shadowed One down on us all!"

"If Pan gets Henry, he will surely kill all of us anyway," Tiger-Lily argued, "at least we can hide him here, and possible ensure he can escape."

"No one leaves Neverland, Daughter," The chief proclaimed, "And you know that well."

"But it's not impossible," Tiger-Lily countered pointedly. "It has been done before, and you know _that_ well, Father."

"My dad left Neverland," Henry couldn't hold himself back any longer. He wanted answers, and he wanted to go home. "My dad's been here before, but he left."

The chief's dark eyes landed on Henry, and he swallowed. Was he going to get clubbed for speaking up?

But the chief appeared to consider him, studying his face carefully.

"Your father, boy," the chief said slowly. "What is his name?"

"Neal," Henry answered, but then shook his head, realising his mistake, "I mean, Baelfire. His name was Baelfire, when he was here."

"Baelfire," Tiger-Lily whispered, turning back to her father. "You see? Baelfire saved my life. Are you going to ensure the death of his son?"

The chief turned to the old man, who still sat beside the fire.

"What do you see?" He asked.

The old man threw some powders and leaves on the flames and soon, the room was filled with coloured smoke that swirled and formed shapes.

"This boy is indeed the one the Shadowed One has been hunting for, all these years," the old man spoke softly, yet his voice was clearly heard over the crackling wood.

"The boy is a perfect balance of Light and Dark blood," the man continued, watching the smoke writhe and twist, "conceived by the most powerful magic of all the realms. When Peter Pan takes his life as his own, never again will he need to consume shadows and magic. Never again, will he be confined to this land and have to send his shadows and fairy slaves to do his bidding. He will truly be able to live eternally and to travel between worlds at will. And a plague of Darkness will spread throughout all the realms."

With his last words, the fire gave a final _'snap'_ of flame before dying completely, leaving the chilling prophesy hanging in the air along with the wood smoke.

Henry couldn't breathe.

_'When Peter Pan takes his life as his own...'_

"Peter Pan wants to _kill_ me?" Henry asked slowly, his voice shaking.

"The boy must be protected Father," Tiger-Lily insisted. "For the sake of _all _the realms."

The chief nodded.

"It is almost nightfall," he said, leading the way back outside into the cooling air. "The Lost Ones will surely be looking for him. Ensure the boy is hidden, and in the morning, we will send him home."

"Can't you send me home now?" Henry asked desperately. He'd always wanted to go on an adventure, like in the stories, but this was a little too much. Besides, if it was really as bad as he thought it was, he wanted to get back to Storybrooke sooner rather than later.

"It'll be too obvious at night, that's when Pan is the strongest, in the darkness," Tiger-Lily explained. "It'll be safest to help you lay low tonight, and then send you home after sunrise tomorrow."

Henry nodded. They knew this place better than he did

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "But how will I get home?" he asked.

"Come with me," Tiger-Lily grabbed his hand once more. "I'll show you."

Running once more through the village, Tiger-Lily led Henry past the houses and out into the farmland. The fields stretched for miles, separated by rivers and streams that flowed from the mountains at the centre, all the way to the ocean. At one point Henry could even see the ocean in the distance, the orange sun sparkling on the water as it set. Henry was surprised to see that there were large warriors guarding the crops.

"Do you get thieves stealing your food?" Henry asked curiously.

"We have had some Lost Boys come stealing in the past," Tiger-Lily granted. "But they're not after food."

Stopping, Tiger-Lily pointed.

"That's what they're after."

Henry stared, and it took him a while to realise what he was looking at. His eyes widened, but his heart leapt with hope.

_Beans._

_Magic_ beans.

Walking forward, Henry tried to get closer, but found his way blocked by a burly Indian warrior.

"Not for you," he commanded.

"Leave him alone," Tiger-Lily stepped forward. "We will be sending him away tomorrow morning anyway, by the chief's orders."

Acquiescing to the authority of his chief's daughter, the warrior backed away. Tiger-Lily then led Henry through the rows of beans.

"You guys grow beans here," Henry said excitedly. "This is absolutely perfect: it solves everything!"

"The Lost Ones don't come to our village often," Tiger-Lily explained, "and Peter Pan does not come at all. He believes that all are trapped here with his power, but sometimes, the boys that are brought here truly wish for more than simply playing all day with no parents to tell them what to do. So, they eventually find us, and we are able to give them a bean to allow them to leave. Because they only leave one at a time, and there are so many boys here, Peter Pan and the Lost Ones don't notice that they leave, so confident are they that Pan controls all here in Neverland."

"And that's what you did for my dad?" Henry prompted. "You helped him to leave?"

Tiger-Lily nodded. "I was captured by the pirates here," she explained. "They thought they could kill Peter Pan, and wanted to find out where he lived, and thought that I could tell them where, though I have no idea. Bae saved me. When my father asked what could be done to repay him, he wished to leave. So, we gave him a bean."

Henry reached out and touched a large bean pod hanging from the nearest plant.

This was his ticket home.

This was how they could go back to the Enchanted forest.

Henry smiled, relaxing slightly.

Everything was going to be okay.

As Tiger-Lily led Henry back to the village, none of them noticed the little fairy spying on them from behind a leaf.

~..~..~..~..

"You know, Gold, I'm beginning to doubt your little mermaid's assistance," Regina said as she paced the deck of the Jolly Roger. "We could've been searching for Henry-"

"And got yourself killed or captured while you're at it," Rumple muttered.

"But now, Ariel still hasn't turned up and it's nearly nightfall!" Regina finished angrily. "Henry's going to spend the night on that terrible island _alone_!"

"Oh, if Henry doesn't have nightmares, I certainly will," Emma placed her head in her hands, sick with worry.

"Nightmares," David whispered, remembering. "That's it!"

"What?" Emma, Snow and Regina said together. "That's what?"

"Nightmares," David repeated. "It's nearly nightfall."

"So?" Emma asked.

"Remember when you and Snow went to the Enchanted Forest?" David asked. "Henry kept getting nightmares because-"

"Because he was going to the Netherworld," Regina finished.

"When he falls asleep tonight, he may go there again," David nodded. "Snow and I can meet him there, and see if he's all right."

"Okay, great," Emma sounded hopeful. "That sounds like a plan. You guys head below."

"Yes, falling asleep should be very easy for you, now," Rumple commented drily.

"Well, your mermaid hasn't reported in yet," Hook granted. "So at least we have a back up plan." Reluctantly, he handed David his rum bottle. "Here, this may help knock you out."

Looking at the bottle, David sighed.

"Yep, this should work." He commented as he and Snow headed below deck, "wish us luck."

"Good luck," Rumple whispered.

"Say hi to Henry for me?" Emma asked.

"And me too?" Regina added hopefully.

Snow nodded reassuringly before following her husband.

Emma sighed.

"Now what?"

"We wait, I suppose," Regina said reluctantly. "Again."

A knock sounded on the hull of the ship, followed by three splashes.

Making his way over to the starboard railing, Rumple looked down to the water, and smiled.

"Ariel," he greeted. "You're back."

"Ariel?"

Regina and Emma hurried over to the railing and looked down to where Ariel floated in the water, waving up.

"Stay still," Rumple instructed before he reached down with a glowing hand and slowly raised it up.

Ariel laughed silently as she was magically picked up out of the water to sit on the edge of the railing.

Hook approached cautiously.

"So," he said, gaining everyone's attention. "This is the mute mermaid you spoke of, Dark One?"

"Yes," Rumple answered patiently as Ariel studied the pirate curiously. "This is Ariel."

"Ariel," Hook repeated, his charming self as always. "Welcome aboard the Jolly Roger, lass. My name is Killian Jones."

"Commonly known as Captain Hook," Emma interrupted impatiently, getting Ariel's attention. "Ariel. My name is Emma. Henry is my son. Did you see him?"

Ariel nodded, smiling reassuringly.

"Is he safe?" Regina asked urgently and Ariel nodded again.

"Where is he?" Regina demanded.

Ariel tried to make signs with her hands, but Regina couldn't understand.

Sighing, Ariel pointed to the helm, where Hook had lain a map of the island.

"Perfect." Emma and Regina rushed over to grab the parchment, bringing it back to Ariel and holding it up before her.

"Where is he, Ariel?"

The mermaid cast her eyes over the ornate, detailed drawing carefully before pointing.

"He at the Indian village," Hook reported. "It's the safest place on the island."

"Well done Ariel," Rumple told her, as Emma and Regina breathed joint sighs of relief. "Thank you."

"I didn't know mermaids could read maps," Hook commented.

Ariel looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"For a pirate, you don't know much about mermaids, do you Hook?" Rumple told him.

"Well, in my experience, mermaids have never been ones for conversation," Hook countered defensively. "I knew only of what they did to my crew."

"Ariel is different from her sisters, and not just because she can't speak," Rumple told the pirate. "She's followed ships, like her sisters do, but rather than looking for victims, Ariel sought knowledge. And that knowledge led to her to having compassion for humans, rather than seeing them as prey. Now, she helps where she can, rather than kills."

Ariel raised her head proudly, daring the pirate to argue with Rumplestiltskin.

"And you have helped greatly, Ariel, thank you," Regina told the mermaid. "Thank you for letting us know Henry's safe."

"Yes, I'll certainly sleep better tonight," Emma granted. "Speaking of which, shall we see if Snow and David are asleep yet?"

Regina nodded following Emma down below.

"Looks like we have a heading, now, Captain," Rumple told the pirate as he shoved the map into his hand. "Put us on course."

"I give the orders on my ship, Dark One." The Captain hissed, though he was still mindful of the mermaid sitting on the railing, so he settled for giving a final glare to Rumple, before bowing graciously to Ariel and moving to the helm.

Rumple turned back to Ariel. The sun had now set completely, and the moon was rising up behind her, glistening on her pale skin, making her appear to glow.

"Ariel," Rumple began softly, "thank you for helping to find my grandson. Hopefully we can reach him before Peter Pan does."

Ariel smiled softly before leaning in...but was stopped as Rumple placed a gentle hand on her bare shoulder.

"Ariel," Rumple swallowed awkwardly as those Belle-like blue eyes searched his in confusion. "I told you of my wife's death, the last time I was here..." he began, and Ariel nodded.

"But you should know something else," he continued. "Milah was not my true love, as I had thought all those years ago."

Ariel began to smile hopefully.

Rumple gathered his courage. This was difficult, but it needed to be done.

"My true love is a woman named Belle."

Ariel's smile faded slowly from her face.

"True Love's kiss can break any curse," he told Ariel. "And in my homeland, when Belle first kissed me, my curse as the Dark One began to lift. She is the only one who has ever had the power to do that, and I love her with all my heart."

Ariel swallowed, and her blue eyes began to fill with tears.

Jerking away, Ariel adjusted her position on the railing until she was facing out to sea, preparing to return to the water.

"Ariel, wait," Rumple grabbed her shoulder once more, hating the pain he was causing to one who had done nothing to deserve it.

"I may not me your true love, Ariel, but I _do_ care for you. " He told her. "True Love's kiss can break any curse," he repeated. "I _know_ it can bring you back your voice. You just have to find it."

Ariel gestured hopelessly, her meaning clear: Where could she hope to find true love in a place like Neverland?

"I'll make you a deal," Rumplestilskin proposed. "I'll ensure that you can come with us, when we take Henry away from Neverland."

Ariel cocked her head to one side, waiting to hear the rest.

"I don't know what to ask for in return," Rumple admitted. "You've done so much already...you'll owe me a favour."

Swallowing, Ariel nodded slowly. Kissing Rumple on the cheek to seal the deal, Ariel dove of the edge of the ship, disappearing into the dark waters below.

~..~..~..~..

Aurora left Neal's quarters as Mulan appeared to take over the watch. Neal had developed a fever from his wound, and had been calling Emma and Henry's names in his sleep.

She needed to go back to the Netherworld to find Henry. She had spoken to Phillip and he agreed. Giving Neal a means to at least contact those he loved may give him the strength he needed to recover.

"Are you ready for this, Aurora?" Phillip asked his love as she settled down in bed. She had told him about the room of fire, and it sounded terrifying. But, while he did fear for her safety, he understood why she had decided to go. For it was the same reason she had willingly been placed under the sleeping curse to spare her kingdom from Malificent's wrath: She had a good heart.

Aurora nodded.

"I'm ready."

Phillip leaned over, and gently caressed his Love's cheek with his fingers as her eyes fluttered shut.

"Then relax, love. Sleep. Find Henry and bring him the news of his father."

Aurora focused on breathing deeply, letting her mind and body relax...

Fire.

Snapping, crackling, flickering flames were licking their way up the red curtains that hung in the room that made up the Netherworld. Smoke filled the air around her, swirling, twisting and writhing in the dim light.

"Henry!" She called out. "Henry! Are you here?"

"Aurora?"

Looking around, Aurora was surprised to see Snow White standing before her, a tall man stood at her side, whom Aurora assumed was her husband.

"Snow?" Aurora asked. "What are you doing here?"

"We're looking for Henry," Snow answered. "He was kidnapped. We hoped we could find him here, so he can tell us where he is."

"I'm looking for Henry too," Aurora told them. "His father is with us at Safe Haven."

"He's alive?"

"Who's alive?"

Turning, the three of them found Henry standing before them.

"Henry!"

"Grandma, Grandpa!" Henry rushed forward eagerly, only to have flames shoot up between him and his family, preventing them getting any closer.

"This is the Netherworld," David reminded them all. "We're not really here."

"Oh, Henry," Snow smiled in relief. "Emma and Regina have been so worried about you. They miss you."

Henry smiled sadly. "I miss them too."

"Henry, where are you?" David asked his grandson.

"I'm alright," Henry assured her. "I'm in Neverland."

"We know," Snow told him. "We're in Neverland too."

"You are?"

"Gold and Hook helped us to get here," David confirmed.

"Where are you, _exactly_?" Snow reiterated.

"I'm in the Indian village." Henry told them, grinning. "And guess what? They grow magic beans!"

"They do?" David asked eagerly.

"Yeah! We can go home!"

"Actually, we'll probably be going to the Enchanted Forest first, kid," David gestured to Aurora, who Henry hadn't noticed yet.

"Aurora? What are you doing here?"

"You're father's alive, Henry," Aurora told him. "Neal's wounded, but he's alive. He's with us at the Safe Haven in the Enchanted Forest."

"He's alive?" Henry was ecstatic. "Yes!" he cheered. "The Indians are planning to send me home via a magic bean portal in the morning," he told them all quickly, "I'll stall while you guys get to the village, then we can all go together."

"Sounds like a plan," David grinned.

"Yes!" Henry actually jumped with a cheer. "Everything's gonna be okay. I'm not gonna die! Good will always win!"

"Woah, wait," Aurora asked. "What do you mean, _die_, Henry?"

Henry's enthusiasm died down as he looked at the three adults in the room. Snow got as close as she could, wanting to comfort her grandson.

"I'm in Neverland," Henry explained to Aurora. "And Peter Pan has been looking for me for centuries, apparently."

"Gold told us that Peter Pan takes the lives of magical boys so that he can have immortal life," David said slowly, not knowing how much Henry knew.

Aurora felt her jaw drop in shock.

"And Henry's his next victim?"

"And the old Indian Sharman said that if Peter Pan takes _my_ life, he'll never have to absorb any other lives ever again, and will be able to travel all the realms, spreading darkness."

_"What?" _Snow was shocked. "Gold said that he had just asked Pan to find you for him, knowing he would want a magical child."

"_Gold_ told Peter Pan to find me?" Henry asked. "And no lying!" He reminded them.

"A seer prophesised that you would be his undoing, Henry," David admitted.

"But he didn't know you'd turn out to be family, and now he wants to make things right," Snow added quickly. "He was the one that helped us get to Neverland in the first place. He's trying to _help_ us, Henry."

Henry shook his head to clear it.

"It doesn't matter," he said to them. "Because the Indians have magic beans, and you guys are going to come to the village, and by this time tomorrow, we'll all be in the Enchanted Forest, with my dad."

He took a deep breath.

'Everything is going to be okay.' He told himself. 'Good always wins in the end.'

~..~..~..~..

Author's notes: What did you think?

I wanted to bring back Nova/Astrid, Abigail/Kathryn and Fredrick back, as they were never even mentioned in season 2. I was especially annoyed at the lack of Kathryn/Abigail. She played such an important role in season 1, yet in season 2, she was mentoned ONCE, by _Dr Whale_, no less. (Did you _forget_ you had a Storybrooke wife, David?) I'm sure that Fredrick (we never did find out his Storybrooke name) went to see his true love in the hospital, which was where we last saw her, but would it have really killed the writers to have shown even _thirty seconds_ of their reunion? They showed so many other characters reuniting, why not give Kathryn Nolan a bit of closure, seeing as Snow and David found each other?

Okay, rant's over (breathes deeply), moving on.

I was thinking of having Moe French arrive at the volunteer centre, but I didn't want to overload the chapter. However I do think Moe would really support his daughter in her campaign, so I do want to bring him back at some point in a later chapter. I can just see his flower shop being covered in banners and signs: 'Vote for Belle and get a free boquet of roses!' or something along those lines...He'll want to try hard to reconnect with his daughter now, especially now that Rumples gone.

Also, I have an idea, and I was wanting to run it pass you all...

I was watching Disney's The Little Mermaid yesterday, (researching Ariel's story, you know) and I realised that the deal Ariel signed with Ursula is exactly like a deal that someone would sign with the Dark One, so my idea that it was a previous Dark One to whom she sold her voice to for legs, may not be so far fetched!

Also, I noticed that Eric was painted as being handsome, dark haired, bright blue eyed, and a sailor...which is exactly what Hook looks like! And now that Neal is alive, I apologise to Captain Swan shippers but, I don't think that Emma and Hook have a chance now, especially after both Emma and Neal declared their love at the portal, so...

What if Ariel and Hook fell in love? (HookedMermaid? MerCaptain?)

I mean, clearly Hook can never Kill Rumple- he's too important a character, and lots of people like Hook, so I doubt the writers will get rid of him. But seriously, the constant 'I must have revenge on Rumplestiltskin' thing was getting boring by the end of season 2, and I really don't want it to drag on in season 3. You _can_ love more than one person in your life, and Arial and Hook, both people who love the sea, _could_ be a good pairing. Also, maybe loving Ariel will help Hook reform and teach him to care for more than just himself, as well as put a dampner on his desire for vengence.

I know some of you will want to stay true to Ariel's story, and I was originally planning on having Prince Eric as a friend of Phillip's, (so that he would have someone other than Mulan and Aurora to talk to) but with all the new characters that are showing up, as well as the different worlds, I think it's really important to just focus on the characters we have already, and only bring in new characters if it's really neccessary to the story.

Thoughts? Likes? Dislikes?

Please review!


	4. Determination

Author's note: Hi everybody! I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated, but the muse has not been striking lately, and I've been working on another fanfic.

Here's is chapter 4, which I was originally going to combine with chapter 5, but then thought it would be more dramatic standing alone.

Hope you enjoy reading it!

~..~..~..~..

Neal could feel himself shaking, despite the feverish heat that caused beads of sweat to trickle down his face and back. The gun-shot wound in his side was the cause of the fire, he knew, yet he still felt he could hear Emma and Henry calling his name.

But while Neal could hear his family, all he could see was darkness. All he could feel was the fire that made him sweat till he felt he would die from the heat, only to be soothed by an icy chill that made him shake.

"Emma," he called into the darkness. "Henry."

"We'll find each other again," he promised. He wasn't going to leave Emma a second time, and he wasn't going to let his son grow up like he did.

"I promise." He swore to them. "We'll find a way."

~..~..~..~..

Snow bolted upright from her bunk.

"Emma!"

"I'm here," Emma was sitting right beside her mother and father as they slept, waiting for them to wake.

"Did you talk to Henry?" Regina asked urgently from the doorway, having heard Snow's shout.

"Yes, we did," David answered for his wife as he sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. "Henry's fine, he's at the Indian village."

"Yes, Ariel reported as much," Regina commented. "She turned up right after you two went below," she explained.

Snow smiled.

"But I bet she didn't tell you the best part," she told them.

"What?" Emma asked slowly.

"The Indians have magic beans," David reported. "They're going to use one to send Henry home in the morning. All we have to do is get there, and then we can all go together."

"That's perfect!" Regina smiled with relief. "We won't have to see Peter Pan at all!"

"And that's not all," Snow added, turning to her daughter. "Aurora was there too."

"Aurora?" Emma repeated.

"Neal's alive," Snow told her daughter happily. "He ended up in the EnchantedForest and he's at the Safe Haven. They're taking care of him."

Emma sat frozen in the silence that followed this announcement, trying to remember how to breathe.

"He's alive?" she whispered, staring at her mother, who nodded to assure her daughter.

"And we have access to magic beans," her father reminded her.

Magic beans. Henry's in the village. Neal's alive. Get to the village. Avoid Peter Pan. Magic beans. Get to Neal.

Emma shot to her feet.

"I need to tell Hook to increase our speed," she muttered as she ran up the stairs.

Regina stood frozen as Emma rushed passed.

Henry's father was alive...

She began to get worried. Was she going to find her son, only to lose him again?

Emerging up on deck, Emma looked around to see only Hook, who stood at the helm, a bottle in one hand.

"Hook," she called, gaining the pirate's attention as she hurried forward.

"Emma," Hook smiled in greeting, "and what service can I do for you tonight?"

"We need to pick up speed," she told him.

"Well," Hook began apologetically, "I'm afraid that, this being a sailing ship, we can really only go as fast as the wind and currents take us." His eyes became more sincere as he regarded the woman before him. "But I promise you, Emma, we will make the Indian Village by morning."

Emma clenched her fists. She wanted to get there faster. She needed to get to her son.

'We will get to him,' she told herself.

A rustling above alerted their attention upward, and Hook noticed the sails of the ship billowing outwards as a gust of wind rose up.

"Hello," he whispered. "Looks like the wind's picking up."

Emma frowned as Hooks eyes turned almost accusingly onto her.

"What?" She asked. "This is a good thing, right?"

Hook gestured for Emma to take hold of the wheel while he made some adjustments to the sails to allow maximum speed through the now black waters that surrounded the island.

"You may want to be careful here, Miss Swan," Hook informed the newcomer. "Neverland is an intensely magical place." He met her eyes seriously. "Your very thoughts can have an impact on this world."

"Are you serious?" Emma asked.

"Very much so," Hook answered. "Your past, your present, even your very hopes can manifest here. The stronger your belief, the stronger your influence."

"And Peter Pan has the strongest belief?" Emma asked, trying to figure out the rules.

"His moods swings can even make the weather change, if he so wishes it," Hook acknowledged, turning his eyes to the island that loomed before them under the light of the full moon.

"When we land tomorrow," he cautioned, "all who go ashore will all be challenged by their greatest hopes and greatest fears."

~..~..~..~..

Rumple sat wearily down on his bunk, thinking.

He'd never really got the chance to grieve over the loss of his son. Having Belle back had helped, but it was only now, in the silence of the night as they drifted closer to the island, that Rumple allowed his mind to wander toward his son.

'Oh, Bae," Rumple buried his face in his hands. 'My beautiful boy.'

For nearly three hundred years, he had been searching for his son, trying to make up for the mistakes he had made in the past.

Now, his son was gone, and he'd never even got the chance to really know the man that his boy had grown into.

"Enjoying the pleasure cruise?"

Rumple's head snapped up to see Regina standing in the doorway.

"What do you want, Your Majesty?" Rumple growled softly.

"My son back," Regina answered, stepping inside the small room. "I thought that was quite clear."

Her eyes took in the tear marks on the man's face.

"I'm sure you'd like to have your son back too," she continued slowly.

"I've lost my chance at that, though, haven't I?" Rumple muttered through gritted teeth as he stood up.

Regina opened her mouth as if to say something, but then appeared to change her mind. Her expression softened.

"Henry is the last piece of your son you have left," Regina put forward gently.

"And that," Rumple hissed, "is the only reason I'm here. I failed with my son," Rumple admitted. "I have to save his son."

"Thank you," Regina whispered.

"I'm not doing this for you," Rumple hissed.

"I know," Regina nodded. "But I felt I should thank you anyway. After all," she continued, "if Henry wasn't your grandson, we wouldn't even know he'd been brought to this place. Now, because of you, I can at least get _my_ son back. So thank you."

Turning, she left Rumple to his thoughts.

~..~..~..~..

Later that night, as everyone had fallen asleep, Emma paced her cabin impatiently, unable to sleep due to her mind and heart racing.

"Emma?"

Looking around, she saw David at the doorway, seeming almost awkward.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

"Sure," Emma answered before resuming her pacing.

David watched his daughter's face as she moved.

"How are you feeling?" He put forward carefully.

"Neal's alive," Emma answered, still pacing.

David smiled. "Yes, he is," he granted. "Perhaps the two of you can have another chance now."

Emma finally paused long enough to stare at her father.

"What?"

"Emma," David regarded his daughter, "I know true love when I see it, and I can tell you are happy that Neal is alive for more than just Henry's sake."

Emma swallowed, unsure of what to do. She'd never had a father to talk to before. Her foster parents had never been the type for 'proper parenting'.

Slowly, Emma sat down on one of the bunks next to her father.

"Before he fell through the portal," Emma began carefully, "I told Neal I loved him."

"And?" David prompted.

A smile tugged at the corner of Emma's mouth.

"He said he loved me too."

Carefully, David put an arm around his daughter.

"Maybe you can be happy now," he told her gently before sighing. "The son of Rumplestiltskin," he muttered with a slight smirk. "I have to say, I never would have seen that coming."

"Neither did I," Emma granted wrily.

David glanced aside at his daughter.

"How did you two meet?" he asked.

Emma raised her eyebrows.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," David nodded. "I have a lot of your life to catch up on, Emma, and as your father, I do want to know more about your True Love."

Emma took a breath, shaking her head.

"I don't know if Neal's my True Love," Emma stammered awkwardly.

"I know True love when I see it, Emma," David repeated. "And as you are both from the EnchantedForest, believe me, the two of you were meant to meet."

"I don't think you'll like the story," Emma put forward.

"Try me," David challenged.

Emma took a breath.

"You know my car?"

David nodded, frowning slightly in confusion.

"When I was about seventeen, I stole it, and Neal was asleep in the back seat," Emma stated.

David's eyebrows shot up to his temple.

"What?"

"Neal had stolen it first," Emma continued.

David took a breath, reminding himself that he had met Snow after he she had robbed him.

"Stealing seems to be turning into a family tradition," he smiled. "Tell me more."

~..~..~..~..

"Henry, wake up!"

Henry bolted upright, and for a moment, he thought he was still in the Netherworld, as there were flames and smoke surrounding him.

But it was Tiger-Lily who was pulling him to his feet, and he realised that this fire was very real.

"What's happening?" Henry asked as Tiger-Lily ushered him outside, where chaos reigned as Indians and Lost Boys clashed and people rushed to save their families and homes from the quickly spreading fire.

"The Lost Ones are attacking, trying to find you," Tiger-Lily explained as she pulled Henry away from the fire and through the crops to hide. "We have to get you out of here."

"What about the others?" Henry demanded. "They could be killed!"

"There are no greater warriors on this island than the warriors in our village," Tiger-Lily answered proudly. "They will be safe, and then we will rebuild. But you must escape!"

Tiger-Lily hurried Henry through the Bean fields, and Henry, almost instinctively, reached out and grabbed a bean pod.

"Yes," Tiger-Lily nodded. "We must send you home now, before the Lost Ones find you."

"No!" Henry jerked Tiger-Lily to a stop, and he realised they were by one of the rivers that ran through the fields. "My family is here too. I have to find them first, so we can all go together."

"There's no time, Henry!" Tiger-Lily told him urgently. "We have to get you out now."

"No!" Henry repeated. "I'm going to find my family, and we will all get out together!"

Tiger-Lily stumbled slightly as the ground shook beneath their feet. Looking around, she realised that the glowing ashes from the fires had risen upward into the sky, swirling together on the breeze.

"Henry..." Tiger-Lily cautioned.

"There he is!"

Henry whirled around to see a group of teenage boys racing towards him, but what really drew his attention was the smouldering mass in the sky that took the shape of a great Shadow with eyes that glowed like embers.

Suddenly, Henry felt a pair of strong arms take hold of him, pulling him backwards into the river.

Unable to see, Henry felt those arms holding him tightly as they raced along with the current, towards the ocean.

~..~..~..~..

As the sun rose the next morning, Regina stood at the prow of the ship, her eyes scanning the scene before her.

The Indian Village had been burnt to the ground.

"What happened?" Snow asked, aghast at what she saw as she came up on deck.

"It looks as if Peter Pan knew Henry was here," Rumple answered slowly, as he approached the railing of the ship.

Regina turned to him, furious. "And now my son is gone! We could have been searching for him yesterday, but no, you insisted your mermaid would help."

"And she _did_," Rumple argued. "For you would have had no idea where to start looking for him, your majesty," he gestured to the ruined village. "But now we have a place to start."

"Well, hurry up," Emma was impatient and went straight over to the longboats. "Let's get to the shore."

"I would not recommend going ashore now, Love," Hook cautioned. "The sea is far safer from Pan's power than the land."

"I don't care," Emma snarled. "I'm getting my son back."

"Your son?" Regina repeated. "_Your_ son?"

Emma gave her a look.

"He is my son," Emma reminded the former Queen.

"And he is my son," Regina reminded the Saviour. "Don't pretend like you've forgotten that."

"I haven't," Emma insisted. "But what do you want me to say: _Our_ son? 'Cause he's not just yours or mine anymore, is he?"

"Ladies," Hook intervened, "as much as I would love to watch the two of you get fired up, we are about to dock."

Rumple was pensive as the long boat was lowered into the water below. Had Peter Pan already found his grandson? Rumple shook his head. He couldn't let that happen. He owed it to Baelfire.

'The boy will be your undoing,' the prophesy reminded him.

Rumple closed his eyes.

'Then so be it,' he answered.

~..~..~..~..

Snow cast her eyes over the ruins of the village. The houses were now nothing but charcoal and the fields had been razed to the ground.

"Oh my god," she whispered, watching the various families digging through the ruins of their homes, trying to find something to salvage.

"Who are you?"

Snow looked up to see a large man standing before them, possibly a warrior or chief of the village.

"We're friends," Snow answered.

"You are the ones who were looking for the boy," the man answered with a voice like rolling thunder.

"Do you have Henry?" Regina stepped forward. "Where is he?"

"We don't know," the big man answered.

"You don't know?" Regina repeated sceptically.

Rumple turned away, scanning the surrounding forest. He'd spotted something out of the corner of his eye.

None of the group noticed him move towards the trees.

"The Lost Ones destroyed our village," the big chief told the group. "Our homes and crops are gone."

"And now, so is my son!" Regina snarled. "Where is he?"

"Wait," David stepped forward. "You said your crops are gone. What about the beans?"

"David," Emma said slowly, trying to keep her temper in check. "I don't think now is the time."

"And what if we find Henry, then have no way of returning home?" David countered.

"Then we'll be together," Emma answered.

"The fields were burnt to the ground," the chief repeated. "Everything is gone."

"Where is my son?" Regina demanded. "If you don't give me an answer right now-"

"Wait!"

Regina paused in the middle of raising a hand to see a young girl making their way towards them.

"Daughter," the chief greeted sternly. "You should not be here."

"They are Henry's family, father," Tiger-Lily spoke up as she came to stand before them. "Henry was my responsibility."

"Then you can take responsibility for your charge, Tiger-Lily, as I must now take responsibility for our village." The chief turned away as his people approached him, all with questions, demanding answers.

"So," Emma turned to view the girl, Tiger-Lily. "You were in charge of Henry?"

"I found him," Tiger-Lily explained quickly. "Saved him from the two people who brought him here, and brought him to our village for safe keeping."

"That worked well, didn't it?" Regina commented drily.

"Where is Henry?" Emma demanded.

Tiger-Lily squared her shoulders, preparing herself.

"He was taken," she answered.

"By the Lost Ones?" Regina whispered, fear gripping her heart.

Tiger-Lily shook her head.

"By a mermaid," she answered.

~..~..~..~..

Neal slowly opened his eyes. His throat was parched, and he felt weak and shaky.

But the fire that had burned through him had gone out.

"Welcome back." Mulan greeted from his bedside, offering him a cup of water. "You've burned off the last of your fever. You should make a full recovery now."

Neal drank thirstily before collapsing back on the straw pallet that served as his bed.

"Emma," he whispered. "Henry."

"Aurora went into the Netherworld to communicate with Henry," Mulan explained. "He knows that you're alive now."

Neal's mind was still fuzzy as he tried to understand what the woman had just told him.

"What do you mean: Netherworld?" He asked.

At that moment, Aurora walked into the cabin.

"You're awake," she smiled in relief. "Good. I was able to make contact with your son."

"How?" Neal asked as he sat up slowly with Mulan's assistance.

"Whoever gets put under a sleeping curse travels back to a Netherworld in times of deep sleep," Mulan explained.

"I went through it, Snow White went through it, and Henry went through it," Aurora finished. "I was able to travel to the Netherworld in my sleep, to communicate with both Snow and with Henry," the woman smiled assuringly. "They know you're alive and here in Safe Haven."

"Great," Neal sat up straighter, wincing slightly. "Now, Mulan says I'm well on the road to recovery, so, I can start trying to find a way back to Storybrooke."

"But," Aurora objected, "they're not in Storybrooke."

Neal paused in trying to put his shirt on over the fresh bandage on his side.

"What?"

"Henry was apparently kidnapped," Aurora informed carefully, "and taken to a place called Neverland."

Neal could feel his heart pounding in his chest.

"Oh, no," he whispered, before lurching to his feet.

"Neal," Aurora objected, "you have to lie down."

"You're still recovering," Mulan added as Neal stumbled to the door.

"I have to get to them," Neal was determined. He could have died from his wound, but he didn't and there was no way he was going to allow this second chance to pass by.

"There is no way for you to get to them, Neal," Aurora insisted.

"I'll find a way," Neal insisted, blinking in the morning sun as he took in the village that was Safe Haven.

"Henry says that there are magic beans in Neverland," Aurora added quickly.

Neal paused, remembering the fields alongside the Indian village.

"They'll come here," Aurora insisted. "You need to recover. Rest."

Neal took a breath. He was still shaky, but he was not simply going to wait around, especially when his son was now in one of the worst worlds imaginable.

"I've rested enough," he said.

Henry was in Neverland...

Neal felt a gasp slip through his lips as he realised that there may be a way for him to get back to his family.

Looking at the sky, Neal could tell it was early morning.

Sighing, Neal resolved to spend the day building up his strength.

He was going to get his family back.

~..~..~..~..

Rumple walked carefully among the trees, allowing his senses to tell him where he needed to go. Magic was thick in this forest. He could practically smell it in the air around him.

Stepping out from behind a tree, Rumple cast his eyes over the surrounding forest.

"I know you're there," he called out. "Show yourself."

A rustle brought his attention to a tall teenage boy with blond hair.

"Dark One," Felix greeted coolly. "Peter Pan welcomes you back to Neverland, and insists that you stay for as long as you wish. However," the boy smiled with no real warmth. "He also said to tell you, that if you are here for the boy, then the two of you shall remain enemies."

Rumple gritted his teeth.

"So then nothing has changed," he spat.

Felix stepped closer.

"Why would you try to Challenge Peter Pan for anything?" he asked. "You do realise what would happen, if you confronted him directly?"

"I would die," Rumple answered softly. "But then," he continued, "death isn't really the issue. The real issue," he reached forward and grasped Felix firmly by the throat, "is how many of you I can take down with me."

Pushing himself free, Felix's eye regarded the Dark One coldly.

"Peter Pan has one more message for you, Dark One," the boy reached into a pocket and threw something down onto the ground at Rumple's feet.

Rumple's breath caught in his throat as he stared down at the small doll wearing the blue and white jacket, the memories swimming before his eyes like a long forgotten nightmare.

"Isn't it amazing," Felix smiled, "how the things we haven't thought about in years can make us cry?"

Rumple barely felt the forest floor beneath him as he fell to his knees, tears running down his face.

Felix knelt down, regaining the man's attention once more.

"Peter Pan knows who you are, Rumplestiltskin," he whispered. "He knows your every hope, fear and nightmare. He knows your very _heart_."

Felix leaned forward, relishing in the turmoil he was causing in the heart of the man before him.

"And if you try to interfere," he vowed, "He will use them _all_ against you."

~..~..~..~..

Emma stumbled slightly as Tiger-Lily led them through the burnt bean fields towards a river.

"It was here," the young girl told them. "The Lost Ones were attacking our village, and I was leading Henry through the bean fields. I told him to take a bean and use it to escape, but he was adamant that he would find his family first, so you could all leave together."

"Then what happened?" Emma asked.

"The ground shook," Tiger-Lily answered. "Pan controlled the ashes from the fire and the Lost Ones found us. Then, a mermaid jumped up from the waters of the river and pulled him under, taking him away."

"Do you know which mermaid?" Emma asked. If it was Ariel, there may still be hope.

Tiger-Lily shook her head.

"Where are the mermaids?" Regina demanded.

"The lagoon would be the best place to find them," Tiger-Lily answered. "But many of them would drown you on sight," she told the Queen. "They don't often like women."

"I'll take my chances," Regina hissed.

"Wait a minute Regina," Snow tried to calm the woman down. "We can't just run in there, we need to discuss what the best plan is."

"You discuss," Regina snapped. "I'm getting my son back." And with a wave of her hand, Regina disappeared in a cloud of smoke, leaving Snow, David and Emma standing with Tiger-Lily on the riverbank.

"This isn't good," David commented. "We're splitting up, and we have no idea what dangers hide in this place."

"Hook said," Emma began, "that we will be challenged by our hopes and fears."

"Yes," Tiger-Lily answered. "That is Pan's greatest power. He can see into your very heart, your deepest memories, and use them against you."

"Use them against us?" Snow didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

"Imagination and belief are very powerful here," Tiger-Lily answered slowly. "Your very thoughts can come to life if you believe in them enough."

Emma swallowed. She certainly had plenty to fear lately. Her son being top of the list at the moment.

"How did the Lost Boys even find Henry here?" She demanded of the girl. "I thought this was supposed to be the safest place on the island?"

Tiger-Lily shook her head, unsure.

"Henry's belief is very strong," she granted, "perhaps Pan could sense it when he was determined to find you all."

"No," a voice called. "It was because of me."

Looking around, Snow spotted a fairy coming forward, her wings beating gently in the early morning light. She had long blond hair and large, expressive eyes. But unlike the fairies from the Enchanted Forest, this fairy was dressed in a flowing dress of dark purple.

She also had what appeared to be silver cuffs on her wrists.

"Who are you?" Snow asked the fairy.

"My name is Tinkerbell," the fairy answered guardedly.

"Tinkerbell?" Emma repeated "Seriously?"

"You should be getting used to this by now, Emma," Snow murmured out of the corner of her mouth before turning back to the fairy.

"Well?" She prompted.

"The fairies are slaves here," Tinkerbell showed the silver cuffs on her wrists. "We're forced to do Peter Pan's bidding."

"So you gave him my son?" Emma spat, stepping forward.

"I was just told to find out where the new boy was," Tinkerbell continued, "it happens every time a new boy comes to the island. I didn't realise he was Baelfire's son until it was too late."

"How do you know Henry's father?" Emma asked.

"Baelfire lived here for nearly a hundred years," Tiger-Lily answered with a smile. "He was a good person. He saved my life once."

"And mine," Tinkerbell added. "I want to help Bae's son."

"So what's the plan then?" Emma asked. "Find the mermaids?"

Tinkerbell shook her head.

"Henry should be safe enough with the mermaids," Tinkerbell assured the group. "They don't mind children. But if any adult were to go near the Lagoon, they will kill you."

"But Regina's there," Snow reminded them all. "We can't let her get hurt."

"The only way to enter a mermaid's realm and emerge unscathed is to be a mermaid," Tinkerbell told them.

Emma sighed, turning to look at the waters of the river.

"We need Ariel," she whispered.

~..~..~..~..

Regina stood on the shores of the Lagoon, the cool waters lapping at her feet.

Before her, stranded on the shore, lay three mermaids, pinned to the ground by her magic.

"You all know who I am," she told them, feeling the magic rising with her anger. "So I expect full co-operation."

Regina stepped forward.

"My son is somewhere here in Neverland," she told them. "And I am here to get him back." She waved a hand, causing a circle of fire to erupt around the three mermaids, causing them to shriek in fear of the hot flames.

"Now I have heard that a mermaid has taken him," Regina hissed. "So I give you till the end of the day to give my son back to me, or I swear, you will feel the _full extent_ of my wrath."

"Alright," one of the mermaids agreed, eyes on the flames surrounding her. "We'll find him!"

Flicking her wrist, Regina put out the fire and quickly, the three mermaids she'd caught hurried back into the cool waters of the lagoon.

"Before sunset," Regina reminded them.

With a splash, the three mermaids disappeared.

~..~..~..~..

Henry slowly opened his eyes to find himself in a large cave. The drip-drip-drip of water echoed through the darkness, and as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Henry could see piles and piles of books, maps, clothing, jewellery and other treasures stacked around the large space.

Sitting up on the rock ledge he had been lain on, Henry looked around warily. He couldn't see any way in or out of this cave unless it was underwater.

Hearing a soft movement in the water, Henry shrank back from the water's edge as a figure came to the surface.

His mouth dropped open in shock.

She was a mermaid.

"Woah," Henry whispered. How cool was _this_? "Hi."

The mermaid smiled, waving in greeting. Her dark red hair, flowing over her pale shoulders as she swam closer to the ledge where Henry was perched.

"Did you save me from being taken by peter Pan?" Henry asked.

The mermaid nodded.

"What's your name?"

The mermaid mouthed a name, but in the dim light, Henry couldn't figure out what she was trying to say.

"Can't you talk?"

The mermaid shook her head sadly.

'Wait,' he reminded himself, 'a friendly mermaid with red hair, who can't talk?'

"You're Ariel," Henry surmised.

Smiling with relief, Ariel nodded.

Henry looked around the cavern at all the things that Ariel had collected.

"I like your collection," Henry told her.

Smiling, Ariel swam over to one of the many piles she had, and brought out an object. Holding it up, she raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Oh that? It's called a fork," Henry explained the utensil in the mermaid's hand.

Smiling, Ariel ran the fork through her hair.

"No, no,' Henry corrected, remembering the story. "I know you think it's for a hair, but you use it to eat with."

Frowning slightly in confusion, Ariel studied the object in her hand.

"Ariel," Henry began, and he had to take a moment to relish in the fact that he was talking to a real mermaid. And not just any mermaid, but the most famous fairytale mermaid _ever. _

"Do you know where my family are?"

Ariel nodded.

"Can you take me to them?" he asked.

Sadly, Ariel shook her head.

"What?" Henry began to panic. "Why not?"

Ariel made swimming motions with her hands, before miming someone looking for something.

"My family are looking for me?" Henry asked.

Ariel gestured for him to keep going with the thought.

"Other people are looking for me," Henry guessed. "And if we leave now, they might get me before my family can."

Ariel nodded.

"So what can we do?" Henry asked. "Could other mermaids help us?"

Ariel shook her head insistently before running a fingertip across her neck.

"The other mermaids would kill us?" Henry asked. This was certainly not like the stories he knew.

Ariel nodded.

"So what, do I have to stay down here?" he asked. He may be safe from Peter Pan under water, but if he couldn't get to his family, what was the point?

"Wait," suddenly remembering, Henry searched his pockets before pulling out the bean pod he had grabbed.

Ariel's eyes were locked on the pod.

"You know what this is?" Henry asked her, and the mermaid nodded.

"We have a way home," Henry told her, "but I'll only use a bean if it means my whole family can get out of here."

Ariel pointed to herself hopefully.

"You wanna come too?" Henry asked, and Ariel nodded.

"Okay, deal," Henry agreed. "But first I need to get back to my family."

Ariel nodded before thinking hard. While Henry was sleeping, the other mermaids in Neverland had somehow become alerted to his presence and had been on the lookout for him. If she took him out there now, they could capture him. Maybe take him to Peter Pan. And she couldn't let that happen. This was Rumplestiltskin's grandson. Baelfire's son.

But only a mermaid could travel unscathed under the waters of Neverland. Ariel sighed. She couldn't get Henry out on her own, and none of her sisters would help a human.

Then, she remembered.

"Hey, what is it?" Henry asked as Ariel suddenly dived under the water. Running her hands over the rocks, Ariel searched until she found what she was looking for. She'd kept it safe for a long time. After all, many humans have been known to kill over such a precious and rare trinket.

It wasn't safe for Ariel to get Henry out... but maybe she could bring someone _in_.

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: I realised that in my earlier chapters, that I hadn't reall ywritten about the relationships between the people on the Jolly Roger, and I figured that, with so many different people, there would be some clashes of sorts. So I tried to focus a little more on the characters themselves, rather than just going wth the plot.

The next chapter should be up soon!

Here's what I'm thinking for the future chapters so far:

Based on the various interviews that I've read and seen so far, I think Neverland/Peter Pan has the ability to force you to confront your greatest fears or most important memories. So I think that this will be a very psychological and emotional battle for our main characters. Rumple still believes his son is dead, as Regina conveniently didn't tell him what Snow reported, and so is willing to confront Peter Pan, and all the trauma of his past, to save his grandson.

How?

It's been mentioned that Peter Pan and Rumple have a past, and that we'll also be meeting previous 'Dark Ones'. I have a theory that Peter Pan is somehow linked to the Dark One's cursed dagger- possibly the creator? Maybe Rumple is willing to trade his own power and immortality to Peter Pan in order to save his grandson, sparing Henry's life, but losing his own in the process?

Also, as belief seems to be the theme this season, and Peter Pan wants Henry, who believed his mother was the Saviour so intensely that he ate a poisoned apple to prove it, I'm willing to bet Henry is going to be very powerful in Neverland. And that's why Peter Pan wants him.

I also think that Neal is going to find a way to get to Neverland, rather than Emma and Co, go to the Enchanted Forest. Here's how:

I know we're meeting Tinkerbell this season, and I remember from the story of Peter Pan, that Tinkerbell could travel between worlds. I'm willing to bet that Neal knew Tinkerbell throughout his stay in Neverland, and the two became close, and he told her about his past. Remember in my story' A Darker Shade of Blue' about my theory that Tinkerbel lwas the one who told August about the knife? well, I'm continueing with that theory here. Only this time, I'm adding another dimention to it.

Belief is the theme, so I think that Neal could focus on his belief in fairies to call Tinkerbell to the Enchanted forest and ask for a ticket to Neverland.

What do you guys think?

Please review!


	5. Mermaids and Make Believe

Author's note: Hi everybody! Here's chapter 5, hope you enjoy reading- my theories and musings to follow.

~..~..~..~..

Emma, Snow and David paced along the shoreline towards the longboat, leaving the Indian Village behind them. Gold still hadn't made an appearance. Neither had Regina.

"Maybe we should go looking for them?" Snow suggested.

"They can take care of themselves," Emma told her mother. "We need to try and find Ariel again."

"How can we do that without Gold?" David asked. "He was the only one who could call Ariel last time. We may get the wrong mermaid if we try."

Emma turned to the fairy who hovered nearby.

"How can we find a mermaid without getting killed around here?" Emma asked.

"You can't," Tinkerbell answered.

Emma was getting frustrated, her anger building by the minute.

"Is it true," Emma began slowly, "that if someone says 'I do not believe in fairies', somewhere there's a fairy that falls down dead?"

"Emma," Snow reprimanded.

Tinkerbell glared at the woman before her.

"In this place? Yes," she admitted. "But only if that is what you _truly_ believe."

"I was a non-believer for a long time," Emma hissed.

"But now that you _do_ believe," Tinkerbell said smugly, "you can't go back."

"If you don't start giving some straight answers, I may lose my faith," Emma threatened.

Tinkerbell snorted.

"I can't believe that you're the mother of Baelfire's child," she muttered.

Emma didn't like the way the fairy had made that comment.

"Well I am," Emma told her firmly, "and you had better believe_ that_."

Spotting a figure making their way towards them, David was grateful for the distraction, until he realised it was Hook.

"Well," the pirate captain greeted warily. "It seems the landing party has changed. Where's Regina and the Crocodile?"

"Doing their own thing," Emma answered.

"Well, that's probably the best course," Hook granted, "they say that familiarity breeds contempt, and there was plenty of that already, among other things." It was then the captain caught sight of the fairy.

"Tinkerbell," he greeted.

"Hook," the fairy nodded. "Surprising to see you ashore."

"Yeah," Emma agreed, "what brings you to land?"

"I was going to ask you what you did to get the mermaids all fired up," Hook put forward. "They've been circling my ship like sharks, so I thought that land may actually be safer for a change."

"It was a mermaid who took Henry," Snow informed the pirate.

Hook was confused.

"By the looks of things, the mermaids were _looking_ for Henry," he told them. "So unless one of them is hiding him somewhere-"

A splash caused the group to turn in time to see Ariel pull herself as far up on shore as she could.

"Ariel!" Emma greeted in relief, rushing over to the mermaid's side. "Do you know where Henry is?"

The mermaid nodded, pointing into the water.

"Is he safe?" Emma demanded. Ariel nodded again.

"Can you bring him here?" Emma asked, only this time, Ariel shook her head.

"The mermaids are looking for him now," Hook supplied. "If Henry is seen, they'll take him."

"So what now?" Emma demanded.

"Calm down Emma," Snow tried to placate her daughter. "We know Henry's safe now. We just have to wait until the mermaids call off their search and then we'll be able to see him."

"No," Emma was determined. "The sooner we get Henry out of this place the better."

"You can't enter the ocean, Emma," Hook told the woman, sounding genuinely concerned. "Only a mermaid can enter the ocean unscathed."

A clap reminded the group of Ariel's presence as she held up a golden chain that had a small glass vial attached to it.

Stepping forward to take hold of the vial, Emma could see a small amount of clear liquid inside.

"What is this?" She asked carefully.

Ariel trailed a finger down her cheek.

"Tears?" Snow queried.

Ariel nodded.

Hook's eyes widened.

"Mermaid tears," he whispered.

"What about them?" Emma asked.

Hook slowly shifted his eyes from the vial in Emma's hand to her eyes.

"Mermaid tears are extremely rare," he began. "It is said that a mermaid's tear has the power to transform someone into a mermaid."

Ariel nodded.

"Only a mermaid can travel unscathed through the waters here," Snow whispered.

Emma's face became determined.

"Okay," she nodded. "What do I have to do, Ariel?"

"Emma," Hook cautioned. "Think about this. You will be a _mermaid_. You won't just have a tail, but you will have all the powers that a mermaid has, including the power to kill a man or drive them insane.

"Ariel's fine," Emma said.

"She's mute," Hook reminded her, "practically powerless. No offence, Love," he said to the mermaid at the shoreline. He turned back to Emma. "But you have to keep in mind, Emma, that if you turn into a mermaid, you may find it difficult to stay focussed."

Emma turned to Ariel.

"This isn't going to be permanent, is it?" She asked.

Ariel shook her head.

"Look," Emma turned to Hook. "I appreciate your concern, Hook, but my concern is for my son. And as Ariel can't bring him up here, I'm going to go to him."

Hook met her resolute gaze before sighing.

"Well," he said, smiling, "I have to admit, I can think of worse ways to go than by your hands, Princess."

"Hey," David objected, pulling the pirate back and away from his daughter. "It's not Emma that you have to worry about, Hook."

"Rather over protective of your daughter, aren't you, your Majesty?" The pirate smiled. "I can assure you, though, she is _very_ capable."

As David glared at the pirate in warning, Emma knelt down to Ariel.

"What do I do?" She asked, holding up the vial.

Ariel touched a finger lightly to her tongue.

Nodding, Emma took the lid off the vial. Tilting her head back, she carefully dropped a single tear onto her tongue.

Snow, Hook and David watched as Emma collapsed onto the sand, smoke wreathing itself around her body.

When it dissipated, Emma opened her eyes in shock to see a glistening red tail where her legs used to be.

"Emma?"

Emma looked up to see her parents and Hook staring down at her with concern.

As she locked eyes with the pirate captain, however, she felt a strange power rise up within her.

Hook felt his breath catch in his throat as he met Emma's gaze.

'Oh, yes, she was definitely a mermaid,' he thought. 'And a powerful one, too.'

His logic told him to look away, but he couldn't help reaching his hand towards her.

"So beautiful..." he whispered.

"Emma!"

Emma blinked, and realised that she'd somehow taken hold of Hook's hand and was gently pulling him towards the water.

How did that happen?

"Emma," Snow repeated, gaining her daughter's attention as she pulled the dazed pirate away from the water's edge. "You have to get to Henry."

The sound of her son's name brought Emma back to reality.

"Henry," she whispered.

Arial tugged on Emma's hand, urging her to get into deeper water.

Slipping the gold chain over her head, Emma took a breath and dove under the waves.

Hook straightened up, shaking his head to clear it.

"You alright?" David asked warily. He had encountered a siren before, of course, but hadn't been worried about Emma until he saw just how quickly her new power could affect both her and those around her.

"Your daughter's going to be the death of me," Hook stated.

Snow sighed, preparing herself for another wait. Looking around, she realised someone was missing.

"Where did Tinkerbell go?" She asked.

~..~..~..~..

Emma was surprised at how effortlessly her new tail propelled her through the water. Afraid at first, she eventually began to relax, until she realised that she didn't even struggle for breath underwater. It was like her very skin absorbed oxygen from the water surrounding her.

Being a mermaid was nothing like Emma had expected. She felt powerful and fast, completely at home amongst the waves as she raced alongside Ariel through the water.

Emma followed Ariel into deeper water, and rather than feeling afraid, Emma felt herself feeling safer amongst the dark shadows of the rocks, away from the light.

The darkness protected her.

Shaking her head slightly, Emma told herself to focus.

'You have to get to Henry,' she told herself firmly.

She didn't see the eyes that followed her and Ariel's path through the water.

~..~..~..~..

Rumple had made it. He was standing before a large tree. Reaching out, he pressed a knot in the trunk.

With a creek, and a breeze filled with the smell of loam and grass, a doorway opened.

Rumple's eyes searched the darkness beyond.

Peter Pan knew he was there, of course. He'd known he was there the moment he'd arrived.

Reaching into a pocket, Rumple felt the small figure of the doll, the fabric soft with time.

Swallowing, Rumple reminded himself that he had to do this for Bae. He would save his grandson, and hopefully, in the afterlife, his son would finally forgive him for all the wrongs he'd done.

Rumple gazed once more into the darkness beyond the doorway, anticipating the gauntlet he knew would be coming.

Everything he feared was beyond that door.

Rumple took a breath.

"Baelfire," he whispered.

He stepped inside, and the door close behind him.

~..~..~..~..

Tinkerbell flew in to the underground home of her master, unable to resist the pull of the one who called for her.

"Tink," Peter greeted. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but we have a guest with us."

Tink looked toward her master as he gestured in the air before him to reveal a man making his way through the labyrinth of their underground home.

Tink's eyes widened.

"Rumplestiltskin," she whispered.

"Yes," Peter Pan confirmed. "He wants the boy that is rightfully mine."

"Would you like me to way-lay him?" Tinkerbell asked. She hoped the answer was yes, for she had a few words she wanted to say to Baelfire's father herself.

Pan smiled at the expression on the fairy's face. She hadn't changed one bit over the years.

"Go talk to him, Tink," he encouraged. "Remind him of what he did."

~..~..~..~..

Henry was searching through Ariel's collection, trying to find something that he could use. He'd found a couple of swords, but they were so dulled by sea salt, Henry doubted they were much use.

Hearing a splash behind him, Henry spun around to see that Ariel had returned, followed closely by Emma.

"Mom!" He cried out, jumping into the water in his eagerness to hug his mother.

"Henry!" Emma hugged her son close to her in relief. "You're alright."

"Yeah," Henry's eyes widened as he realised how his mother had got here. "And you're a _mermaid_."

"Temporarily," Emma qualified. "It was the only safe way to travel. Now come on, we've gotta go."

Ariel took hold of Henry's hand and placed it on Emma's shoulder, pressing down firmly to indicate that he needed to hold on tightly.

Nodding, Henry held tightly to Emma's shoulders as they dived under the water. As they swam out of the cave, Henry realised that as he held on to Emma, her ability to breathe underwater affected him as well.

However, as the three of them made their way out into the open water, they found their path blocked.

~..~..~..~..

Regina appeared once more in the Indian village in a whirl of smoke, causing those closest to her to recoil slightly.

"You!"

Regina turned to see the Chief striding forward angrily.

"Where can I find the Lost Ones?" She asked the chief as he approached.

The chief frowned.

"You must leave this place," he told her. "Before your presence here causes more damage."

"Tell me what I need to know, and I'll be out of your way," Regina said firmly.

The chief regarded the former Queen with suspicion.

"Henry is your child?" he asked.

"_Yes_," Regina impressed, "and it's in everyone's best interest that he is returned to me quickly."

Slowly, the chief took a breath, knowing how he would feel if it were his own daughter that Peter Pan wanted. And not for the first time, he was glad that he had a daughter, rather than a son, who would draw the Shadowed One's attention.

"Which Lost Ones do you seek?" The Chief asked.

"What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"There are those held prisoner on this island," the chief clarified, "and those who serve the Shadowed One. Which do you seek?"

"The ones who serve the Shadowed One," Regina answered slowly.

The chief raised his arm to point his spear in the direction of the forest behind them.

"If you travel in that direction for long enough, you will encounter the Lost Ones," he informed her.

"Thank you," Regina nodded.

As she walked, Regina was sure to keep the ocean on her left side. For she wanted to see the shore for when the mermaids brought her son back to her.

Until then, she was going to find out more about why Peter Pan wanted Henry so much.

~..~..~..~..

Emma, Ariel and Henry emerged from the cave to find six other mermaids blocking their path.

"Hand over the boy," the lead mermaid ordered, her black hair fanning out behind her as her purple tail swished through the water, keeping her steady in the current.

Slightly surprised that the mermaid could speak underwater, Emma gripped her son tighter.

"Or what?" She asked, although she supposed the question was pretty redundant.

"You'll die," the lead mermaid answered coolly.

Ariel swam forward, gesturing for her sisters to stop.

"Ariel," the black-haired mermaid greeted her youngest sister. "Both Peter Pan _and_ the Witch want the boy. Let us take him. What difference is it to us?"

Ariel scowled and shook her head. They weren't going to take Henry.

The black-haired mermaid sighed.

"Very well, sister," she said, almost sadly. "So be it."

Henry closed his eyes.

'Belief has power here," he reminded himself of what Tiger-Lily had told him. 'And I _believe_ that we're going to get out of this.'

Emma and the other mermaids froze.

Something was happening to the water...

The current was increasing in strength around the six mermaids before them, making it difficult for them to keep their positions steady in the water.

However, around Emma, Henry and Ariel, the current was perfectly normal.

Faster and faster the current moved, bubbles forming, making it almost impossible for the six mermaids to swim and soon, they were being swept away.

"What's happening?" Emma demanded over the rush of the swirling current.

Ariel's eyes fixed on Henry, pondering for a moment before quickly grabbing Emma's hand and taking off.

Henry gripped his mother's shoulders as they swam through the water.

'We're going to get out of here, we're going to get out of here, we're going to get out of here,' he repeated to himself.

As they swam into brighter waters, Emma suddenly realised that she was slowing down.

She was finding it difficult to breathe...

Oh, no.

Looking up, Emma realised they were still quite far from the shore where her parents were waiting.

They weren't going to make it in time.

Seeing Emma struggling, Ariel quickly changed tactics, grasping hold of Emma's hand, she used her innate ability to allow both Emma and Henry to breathe.

However, she knew she couldn't carry them both, and Emma's tail would soon disappear as the effects of the mermaid's tear wore off.

Hurrying, Ariel led Emma and Henry to a rope made of twisting kelp and tugged hard. As Emma took hold of the rope, she felt herself being pulled quickly through the water in a rush of bubbles.

Emma kicked, only to find that she now had two legs, rather than a tail.

Henry gripped tightly to his mother's shoulders, his lungs gasping for air.

'We'll get out of this,' he repeated.

Then everything went black.

~..~..~..~..

Rumple made his way cautiously forward, his senses wide open, and waiting. He knew what Peter Pan could do and was preparing himself for every confrontation.

He did not, however, expect a fairy.

"Who are you?" he asked, on his guard.

"My name is Tinkerbell," the fairy answered, her blond hair drifting across her eyes in the slight breeze caused by her fluttering wings. "I knew your son, Baelfire, while he lived here."

Rumple froze. His gauntlet had begun, then.

"You did?"

Tinkerbell's eyes grew hard.

"You know what living on this island does to the boys who come here, don't you?" She demanded.

Rumple placed a hand over the pocket that held the doll. Oh yes, he knew all too well.

"Bae relived his most traumatic memories every night for years," The fairy spat. "And you know what they were? Being abandoned by his own father!"

Rumple closed his eyes, almost relishing the pain going through his heart. He deserved it after all.

"I was the one who comforted him," Tinkerbell told the man before her. "I did everything I could to try to take his pain away. I watched him grow up until the day he left." She sighed. "I checked up on him occasionally. The fairies here can travel between worlds. I was able to watch Baelfire grow from a kind boy to a good man."

Rumple paused as a memory flickered over him. One that he hadn't expected to see in here.

_He was pinning August Booth against a tree, his dagger against the man's throat._

_"Who told you about me, and the knife?" he hissed._

_"A little fairy," August answered._

Rumple looked up toward the fairy hovering above him.

"You're the one who told August about me," he accused her.

"I told him about Baelfire," Tinkerbell clarified, annoyed at being interrupted before she'd really got going. "I met August, or Pinocchio, while he was searching for the Saviour. I know how to recognise a magical being."

Rumple stared up at the fairy.

It was a Fairy that had given Bae the magic bean that had taken him away.

It was a Fairy who had comforted his son throughout his years in Neverland.

And it was a Fairy that had given August Booth the knowledge on how to kill him.

Rumple sighed.

But it was still all his fault.

He had been so attached to his power that he'd let his only son go.

It will always be his fault.

Always, that will be his greatest mistake, and the thing he has spent centuries trying to make up for.

And now, perhaps he finally can.

"Take me to your Master, Fairy," Rumple ordered.

Tinkerbell frowned in confusion.

"Why?" She asked cautiously.

"Why else?" Rumple put forward. "I have a deal to discuss."

~..~..~..~..

David paced restlessly along the shoreline. He didn't like standing around waiting. His grandson was who knows where, his daughter was a mermaid, and they were trapped in _Neverland,_ a place he had only ever heard about, and he didn't want to stay here any longer than he had to.

Although, as the beans were now apparently gone, that may be a challenge.

David shook his head. There had to be a way out of here. He'd find a way.

"Emma will be fine, David," Snow assured her husband, worried as she watched him pace.

"I know that," David answered. "I just..."

"Worry," Snow nodded, smiling slightly. "That's what fathers do."

David paused to stare at his wife as she sat on the sand nearby.

"You seem to be pretty calm," he observed.

Snow smiled.

"Well, after our adventure getting the compass, I've learnt that Emma is far stronger than even she believes," Snow explained. "And after I doubted her about Tamara, I think I should have more faith in our daughter's ability."

"Believe me, Milady," Hook called from his position from by the water's edge. "Your daughter is more than capable." He winked. "She takes after you, I'm sure."

"Alright, that's it," David snapped. "If you don't start showing some more respect, I am gonna-"

A splash announced Ariel's arrival on shore.

"Ariel!" Snow rushed forward. "Where are Emma and Henry?"

Ariel pointed.

Turning, David scanned the shore line, but couldn't see anything.

"I don't see them," he reported.

Ariel shook her head, slapping the sand in frustration.

"Okay, honey, calm down," Snow tried to follow her own advice as she knelt beside the mermaid on the sand.

"Are they safe?" Snow asked, figuring 'yes' or 'no' questions would be easier.

Ariel nodded.

"Are they on land?" Snow asked.

Ariel nodded again.

"Are they nearby?" Snow pressed.

Ariel shook her head.

"Where are they?"

Using her finger, Ariel began drawing in the damp sand. David and Hook crept closer to peer over Snow's shoulder.

Ariel had drawn a picture of a rope hanging from a tree branch, with two people dangling from it, as if they were being pulled out of the ocean below.

She then drew a series of trees beyond that, each tree connected to the one beside it with a rope bridge.

Hook sighed. He recognised the place.

"Well," he mused, "Emma should blend right in."

"Why?" David asked Hook. "Where is that?"

Hook regarded the Prince seriously.

"It's the Lost Boys' camp," he answered.

~..~..~..~..

Neal walked carefully through the wooden huts that made up Safe Haven. Phillip was making his rounds of the camp, making sure everything was in order. Wanting to work up his strength for a faster recovery, Neal decided to accompany him.

"So tell me, Neal," Phillip began as they walked slowly around the camp, checking supplies. "You say that you were born of this world, is that true?"

"Yeah," Neal admitted reluctantly, but he wasn't about to say who his father was. Even now, he was sure it would cause more trouble. "But now I just want to get back to Emma and Henry."

"Aurora told me about Emma," Philip put forward gently. "About when she and Snow White entered our realm after the wraith took me." Phillip glanced to the man at his side. "She said that Emma has a strong spirit."

Neal smiled reflexively.

"Yes, she does," Neal nodded. "Among many other strengths."

Phillip smiled. "I can tell Emma is your True Love, Neal," he told his companion. "I sincerely hope you are reunited."

Neal's head shot up.

"What?" He asked, stammering slightly. "How can you tell?"

"The look on your face," Phillip informed him simply. "I remember feeling the same way during my time separated from Aurora. Even when Malificent transformed me into a Yaoguai and banished me to another realm, I didn't give up hope that I would see her again."

"I'm sorry, wait," Neal stopped the Prince for a moment. "Turned into a _what_?"

"A Yaoguai," Phillip explained. "A great beast of fire that lives in the mountains. Every person I went to for help could not understand me, for they were too afraid. Except one," he smiled. "A woman. Her name was Belle and she saved me from my curse. If not for her," Phillip finished, "I would still be trapped in the body of a beast."

"Belle?" Neal repeated. _No way..._ "Brown hair, blue eyes, beautiful, has a thing for books?"

"Yes," Phillip nodded in surprise. "Do you know her?"

Neal bit his lip.

"Not really, actually," he admitted. "I only met her once."

"Well, if you ever do see her again, do pass on my best wishes," Phillip asked. "I haven't seen her since she saved me, and I hope she was successful in her next quest."

"What was that?" Neal asked, curious.

"She said that she had another beast to face," Phillip quoted.

Neal nodded slightly. _I'm sure she did, _he thought.

"I think that might still be a work in progress," he admitted slowly.

"So," Phillip continued, "how do you plan to reach Emma and your son, Neal? Portal jumping is rare here."

"I'm planning on calling in a ride there," Neal said, his thoughts beginning to wander.

"How do you mean?" Phillip didn't understand. "Is there anything I can do to assist?"

Neal paused.

"Have you ever heard of Neverland?" Neal asked him.

Phillip shook his head.

"I have travelled to many realms," he admitted," but have never heard of such a place."

"Be thankful," Neal stressed. "Magic is more powerful there. Your thoughts, memories and fears can even come alive if you believe in them enough."

Phillip's eyes widened with surprise as he regarded Neal's serious expression.

"Now the fairies that lived here in the Enchanted Forest," Neal began to explain, "were powerful, but the only way anyone could travel between worlds was with a portal. The fairies in Neverland, however," he continued, "have the ability to travel between worlds. They're slaves for the most part, but they sometimes can travel to other worlds without their master knowing."

"Who is their master?" Phillip asked curiously.

"Hopefully, you'll never find out," Neal said firmly. "However, I lived in Neverland for years, and I think I may be able to call one of the fairies to take me there."

"You can call a fairy from another realm?" Phillip asked, surprised.

"That's my plan," Neal nodded.

"And," Phillip put forward gently, "if that doesn't work?"

Neal paused.

"I have to believe it'll work," he whispered.

~..~..~..~..

Belle stood with the dwarves and fairies outside the Town Hall. It was voting day, and they were making effort to elicit some last minute support from anyone who was still undecided about who to vote for.

"Vote for Belle!" Leroy called, handing out blue ribbons and rosettes to passersby.

"Vote for a safer Storybrooke!" The Blue Fairy added her voice to the people who were there showing their support for Belle in her fight against Spencer.

Belle had barely had time to breathe since she had drunk the potion that had returned her memories to her.

The Campaign had been fierce, with Spencer using the Town's fear of the outside, and their fear of those like Ruby and Rumple, to gain supporters.

The debate last night had been nerve wracking, with Spencer aggressively attacking every stance that Belle took.

But she had fought right back, citing how it was Regina and Emma who had protected Storybrooke from total destruction, and how it was Rumple's spell that was protecting them from further detection from the outside. She reminded the town of how Spencer had been the one to frame Ruby, which David had proved, and how the people of Storybrooke deserved to be led by one whom they could trust.

And now, today, the people were casting their votes.

Belle looked across the car park to where her father stood, handing out single roses tied with a blue ribbon.

She had gathered her courage and visited his shop, after her the campaign was announced. Even in the early stages, he had been showing his support in his own way, handing out blue rosettes with every rose purchased, and being one of the many volunteers to put up signs, as well as going door-to door, telling people about her and her plans for the future of Storybrooke.

Belle smiled. Her father had practically fainted with relief when he heard that Rumplestiltskin was out of town, but Belle had told him firmly, that she her heart hadn't changed.

She still loved Rumple, and if her father couldn't accept that, then she would keep her distance.

Very reluctantly, but possibly taking comfort in the fact that Rumple wasn't in town, Moe had hugged his daughter close, saying he was happy to have her back in his life.

As people came and left the Town Hall to cast their vote, Belle felt herself losing track of time. All too soon, it was falling to the late afternoon. They were out of rosettes and ribbons, and the polls were now closed.

"We've done all we can," the Blue fairy smiled as she took up Belle's hand. "It's up to the people now"

"Let's hope they make the right choice," Leroy said, holding his 'Belle for Mayor' sign almost threateningly.

Belle smiled, looking around at all her friends.

"No matter how the people vote," she told them all gratefully, "I just want to thank you all for your support. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Our pleasure, Belle," The Blue Fairy nodded graciously. "We will always support those who have a good heart."

"Alright guys," Leroy announced to the company. "Let's head to Granny's for the party."

As everyone dispersed, Moe approached his daughter slowly.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," he told her.

"Thank you, Papa," Belle hugged her father close. She'd missed him. And maybe now that they were spending time together, she could tell him more about the man she had fallen in love with.

~..~..~..~..

Rumple followed Tinkerbell until they entered a large room. Lanterns and tree roots hung from the ceiling, casting shadows that stretched right across the room.

Watching the shadows flicker in the dim light, Rumple tried to maintain his composure.

"You're doing this for Bae," he reminded himself. "You're doing this for your son."

"Well Dark One," a voice called from the shadows that filled the room, "welcome back."

Rumple spun around to see Peter Pan standing right behind him, blocking his path to the door. With a wave of his hand, the door disappeared, trapping them inside.

'No. It's in your head, you know it is," he reminded himself. 'You _know_ how this works, it's like you're dreaming.'

Rumple cleared his throat.

"You know why I'm here, I take it?" he whispered.

Smiling, Peter Pan's shadows appeared to stretch further into the room, making it seem even darker.

"You've come to play a game?" He whispered.

"I've come to make a deal," Rumple clarified.

"For the boy?" Peter asked, although he already knew the answer, of course.

"For my grandson," Rumple nodded.

"You did tell me to find him for you, did you not?" Peter Pan reminded the man, the lightness of his tone almost playful. "Something about a prophesy of your _undoing_?"

"I did," Rumple nodded. "And now that you have, I can take him off your hands."

Laughter rippled out from the darkness as Peter Pan suddenly vanished to appear from behind Rumple.

"Oh, come on, Rumplestilstkin, you know how to play better than that!" The strange boy with the ancient eyes laughed mockingly. "This boy is more powerful than you realise, so if you really want him, you're going to have to bring your best game!" The boy-who-was-not-quite-a-boy smiled. "It does get very _boring_ here, you know," he mused. "And finally, after centuries of searching, we have something _fun_ happening." He raised his eyebrows. "And you expect me to just hand the boy over? I don't think so."

Rumple carefully let out a breath. This is why he came, after all.

"Alright," he agreed slowly. "Let's play."

~..~..~..~..

David strode along forest floor as quickly as he could, Snow and Hook alongside him.

"I would highly recommend we return to my ship," Hook tried to convince them to turn back once again. "If we are not aboard by nightfall, this island will have a lot of fun with us."

"All the more reason to get to Emma and Henry fast," David retorted, glad to finally have something to do.

"What about Regina?" Snow asked. "And Gold? Shouldn't we find them? Warn them?"

"The Crocodile already knows this island," Hook said, not really caring. "Regina, on the other hand, I'm not so sure of."

"We should find her," Snow suggested. "If she doesn't know the powers of this place, she could be in danger. Also, she's just as worried about Henry as we are, shouldn't we let her know that we know where he is?"

"Snow," David was reluctant for them to split up even further.

"She's still Henry's mother," his wife insisted, "just as much as Emma is."

Sighing, David came to a stop to think.

"Fine," he agreed. "Hook, you and I will go find Regina. Snow, you go ahead and meet up with Emma."

"I couldn't care less about Regina," Hook baulked slightly at being told what to do. "Emma, however, is far more pleasant company," the pirate smiled. "So if you are so _determined_ to split up, _you_ can go search for Regina while I spend the afternoon with your lovely wife before reuniting with your daughter this evening."

David grabbed hold of the pirate's shirt, bringing his face threateningly close.

"I don't trust you near my daughter," he told the pirate, a slight growl entering his voice. "I don't trust you near my wife. And I couldn't care _less_ about your feelings towards Regina."

"And how is your wife going to find the Lost Boys' camp without ever having been here before?" Hook asked smoothly. "I know this island almost as well as I know my own ship."

"Because you're gonna tell her," David said, his smile not matching the tone of his voice. "And then you're gonna use that great memory of yours to figure out where Regina would be going."

Hook met the Prince's gaze steadily as he decided if this was something he wanted to push. Judging by the light, they had only a few hours left of day. Although, in Neverland, that didn't really mean much.

"Very well," Hook resigned himself to bearing the Prince's company for the remainder of the day.

Slowly, David released the pirate.

"Your Majesty," Hook turned to Snow White, "if you would be so obliging as to turn your gaze towards the coast," he pointed a finger towards the direction of the sea, "and then work your way northwards... Do you see those cliffs jutting out over the ocean?"

Snow shook her head in confusion, and so Hook stepped closer. Bringing his cheek close to hers, the pirate pointed once more, so that Snow could follow the line of his finger toward the landmark.

David had to clench his fists to stop himself from reacting, as the pirate was clearly enjoying getting under his skin.

Once Snow had the visual, she nodded to confirm, but Hook didn't step back.

"Keep walking towards those cliffs, Love," he whispered in her ear softly. "You'll see a stairway cut into the rock. At the top will be the Lost Boys' camp, those who are kept prisoner here by Peter Pan. That," he breathed, "is where your daughter and Henry will be."

"Great," David interjected as Snow stepped away from the pirate and closer to her husband. David turned to Snow.

"Be careful," he told her. He was reluctant to leave his wife alone in this place, but he knew she was capable of taking care of herself.

And he really didn't like the idea of Hook being near either her or Emma.

"Of course I will," Snow assured her husband. "You be careful too," she told him. After all, he was travelling with a pirate to find the Evil Queen.

"We'll meet up at the ship," David told her.

Snow nodded before giving David a kiss goodbye.

"I'll find her," Snow promised before turning and making for the cliffs.

David watched his wife walk away.

"She'll be fine, David," he told himself." They'll all be fine."

"Time's ticking Your Majesty," Hook called as he headed off through the forest. "Knowing Regina, she'd try going after the one she knows want her son: the Lost Ones. And they're in this direction."

Sighing, David moved off to follow the pirate.

~..~..~..~..

Emma slowly opened her eyes, feeling the pounding in her head increase in pressure as she squinted against the afternoon sunlight.

Moaning, she brought a hand to her forehead, trying to dull the ache.

"Emma!"

Emma's eyes snapped open to see Henry kneeling over her.

"Henry! Owwww" Emma had tried to sit up too quickly, causing her head to pound even more.

"You're alive!" Henry threw his arms around his mother in relief.

"Yeah, we both are," she whispered. Looking around, she had to pause as she realised that there were about a dozen boys gathered around the two of them, staring. "Where are we?" She asked slowly.

"These are the Lost Boys," Henry supplied, having woken up earlier. "They don't work for Peter Pan, though. They're the ones that are kept prisoner here."

Emma slowly stood up, a little unnerved at the relentless staring.

"Are we safe here?" She queried, gripping her son's shoulder.

"As safe as you can be, in Neverland," a voice called and Emma looked up to see yet another boy standing in a tree nearby.

And unlike the twenty or so surrounding Emma and Henry, who were all between the ages of about seven and twelve, this boy looked more like fifteen.

Jumping effortlessly down from the tree, the tall boy came to stand before Emma, and the other boys retreated back, making space.

Emma studied the teenager before her. He was dressed in black and red. His dark hair was cut unevenly, as if he'd done it himself and while his build was slender, he carried the sword in his hand with the ease of one who knew how to wield it.

"Who're you?" Emma asked.

"His name's Ruffio," Henry put forward. "He's in charge."

"You're in charge?" Emma asked sceptically before she was suddenly looking down the blade of a sword.

"What are you?" Ruffio asked, curious, but wary.

"Excuse me?"

"What are you?" Ruffio repeated, not taking his eyes off Emma for a moment. "You're not a fairy or a mermaid. Too pale to be an Indian..." he continued slowly. "So what are you?"

"She's my mom," Henry spoke up defensively.

Ruffio paused, and a ripple seemed to travel through the other Lost Boys.

"You're a mom?" One of the boys asked, who didn't look much older than seven.

Emma nodded.

"My son was kidnapped," Emma pulled Henry closer to her, "and I came here to get him back."

Something flickered behind Ruffio's eyes and he slowly sheathed his sword.

"There's no way out of Neverland," Ruffio stated.

"People have escaped before," Emma said surely. "And we're gonna do the same."

"Why?" Ruffio asked, unafraid of this adult who had been brought into their camp. He turned his eyes on Henry. "Do you like having a grown up tell you what to do? Here," he gestured around them grandly, "there are no grown-ups. You can do whatever you want, all day! _Anything_ you can think of can be real!"

Claps and cheers erupted from the boys that had gathered.

"What about at night?" Emma asked and the cheers died down.

Emma cast her eyes over the boys around her. "I hear that this place isn't so great at night," she commented.

"Anything you dream of can be real," one of the boys repeated fearfully, before being shushed by the others.

"How does that work?" Henry asked curiously, drawing the attention away from Emma.

"What are you talking about?" Ruffio frowned.

"About the whole 'everything you think of becomes real' thing," Henry clarified.

Ruffio grinned holding out a hand.

"I feel like eating a cheeseburger," he smirked, and a cheeseburger appeared in his hand. Smiling, he took a large bite, sauce and melted cheese dribbling down his chin.

"Whoa," Emma commented, wary. "That can't be right," she muttered.

"Typical grown-up," Ruffio laughed, taking another bite of his burger.

"No," Emma continued patiently."The Lost Boys would have 'make-believe dinners'. But the food wasn't really there."

"But if you _believe_ it's there," Henry's voice trailed off as he thought he was beginning to understand the concept.

Holding out his hand, Henry concentrated until a mug of hot cocoa appeared, complete with marshmellows and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

"Cool!" Henry grinned.

"Uh-uh," Emma took the mug from Henry's hand.

"Hey," he objected. He was finally started to have fun in this place, and Emma wouldn't even let him have a hot cocoa?

"It's not real, Henry," Emma reminded her son, and with that, the mug disappeared instantly. "And with all you know about magic," Emma continued, "I thought you would have leant by now."

"All magic comes with a price," Henry nodded.

"See?" Ruffio gestured to Emma. "A grown-up comes here, and she's already telling her kid what to do. In Neverland!"

"Look," Emma yelled over the boos that erupted. "If you guys came here because you didn't want to have parents, that's your loss." Silence fell at her statement and all the boys, including Ruffio appeared stunned.

"All we need is a place to spend the night, and with luck, we'll be home tomorrow," Emma finished, finally feeling the days events, such as nearly drowning, catching up with her.

Limbs shaking slightly, Emma led Henry passed the boys towards some pear trees nearby. She figured they were a safer bet than any 'make-believe' meals that the Lost Boys conjured up.

~..~..~..~..

"Okay everybody!" Abigail hung up her phone and Granny's filled with silence as she called for attention.

"The polls have just been tallied and...Congratulations Mayor Belle!"

Belle gasped with shock as cheering erupted throughout the small restaurant.

_She'd won._

She'd beat Spencer and gained the trust of Storybrooke.

"Well done, Belle!" The Blue Fairy toasted the new Mayor.

"I'm so proud of you, Sweetheart," Moe hugged his daughter tight.

"Congratulations, Belle," Archie shook Belle's hand.

"Thank you," Belle smiled.

"Speech!" Ruby called out and the chant was soon taken up.

"Speech!"

"Speech!"

Amid cheering and clapping, Belle was aided onto a table top by Anton so that she could see everyone in the restaurant.

"First of all, I would like to begin by thanking each and every one of you for your invaluable support," Belle began graciously. "And now that Storybrooke has a new Mayor, we should now start work on creating a town where we can feel safe in and proud of."

Applause rang out through the diner.

"And for my first act as Mayor," Belle continued. "I would like to appoint Frederick as a candidate to be our new Sheriff."

"An interesting choice."

Everyone turned to see Spencer standing boldly in the doorway.

"I've come to give my congratulations... Madame Mayor," Spencer greeted as Belle stepped down from her makeshift podium. 'And to inform you that I too, have a candidate lined up of the part of Sheriff."

"Are you planning to run for Sheriff, now that you've lost the chance to be Mayor?" Belle queried.

"Well, I am Storybrooke's District Attorney," Spencer smiled coldly.

"And who will do _that_ job if you become Sheriff?" Belle asked drily.

"Exactly," Spencer said, taking Belle by surprise. "Someone will need to ensure justice is served, and in the long run, I believe I can do better for this town as the DA."

"Really?" Belle was confused. "So then who is your candidate?"

Spencer smiled.

"You'll see...Madame Mayor."

~..~..~..~..

Neal stood in the fading light, looking up at the sky as the very first stars began to become visible.

"I hope for your sake that this works for you, Neal," Phillip told the man he was already considering his friend as they stood a short distance from the bustle of the village.

Neal took a deep breath, careful of the bandages covering this not-yet-healed injury.

"It'll work," he stated.

Closing his eyes, Neal tried to relax.

He reluctantly cast his mind back to when he was a boy, growing up in the forests on the island of Neverland.

He could still smell the trees, and the salty sea air.

He remembered the Indian Village, and Tiger-Lily.

He remembered the forests at night...

Flinching reflexively away from those memories, he refocused his mind, remembering the fairy he had befriended, all those years ago.

"I believe in fairies," he whispered softly.

Tinkerbell had comforted him after every nightmare on the island. She had been his friend and his confidant, the only person, other than Hook, whom he had told his story to.

"I believe in fairies," he repeated.

Neal had only seen Tinkerbell once since he'd left. She'd followed him after he'd used the bean the Indians gave him. She'd tried to ask him to come back. She had said she could take him back...

Neal had been shocked to see her. He hadn't known that the fairies could travel between worlds, and had felt hurt that Tink had had the power to take him away from Neverland the whole time, but had never done anything.

She had tried to say that they could usually only go where Peter Pan ordered them, but neal hadn't listened, he'd been too angry.

Now, however, Neal hoped that Tink had been able to do what she does best and sneak away from her master without detection.

"I believe in fairies," he repeated again.

"Hello Baelfire."

Neal opened his eyes to see Tinkerbell hovering above his head.

"Tink," Neal greeted in relief. "You heard me."

"Well, you were calling pretty loudly," she smiled. Truthfully, she'd been listening for him to call her ever since he'd left.

"I need to get to Neverland," Neal said quickly.

"I know," Tink nodded. "Your son is there."

"Henry," Neal smiled. "Is he alright?"

"He's in the Lost Boys' camp, same as you were," Tink reported before wrinkling her nose distastefully, "with _Emma_."

Neal's hear leapt into his throat. "Is she okay?"

Tink gave him a look.

"She's fine," the fairy answered flatly.

Neal stepped forward.

"Tink," he pressed. "Will you take me to Neverland?"

The fairy smiled.

"Of course I will," she told him.

Neal let out a breath. He would see Emma and Henry soon.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Turning, Neal reached out and shook Phillip's hand.

"Thank you for everything," Neal said quickly. Phillip bowed.

"It was my honour," he smiled. "Good luck, my friend."

Neal turned back to Tinkerbell.

"Alright," he was ready to return to hell. "Let's go."

Raising a hand, Tinkerbell blew fairy dust gently into Neal's face.

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: Okay first: I forgot to write this in last chapter's A/N, but the 'doll scene' with Rumple wasn't actually my idea. Apparently a clip of the new seaso n3 was shown at some kind of comic-con type event, and while the clip itself couldn't be posted on the internet, I found a description that someone had written, and based the dialogue around that. I think it signifies that Rumple was once a lost boy himself, as we know that Rumple grew up without a father, and, according to the seer, was 'raised by spinsters' so his mother was probably out of his life also. I think this may be why he's says that Peter Pan is 'one we al lshould fear' because he knows more about him.

Now, ever since I heard that Ariel was going to make an appearance, I wanted to see someone turn into a mermaid. In every 'mermaid' story, it's usually the mermaid that gets legs, but for a change, I thought: why not give a human a tail instead? And I reall ywanted Emma to be the one getting turned into the mermaid and have her own 'magical experience', so I had her turn into a mermaid to get Henry out. She still has some tears in the vial, so we may see her change again! She just couldn't use them while she was still underwater, as she'd lose the tear.

Now that the characters are splitting up, I admit, I'm having a little trouble keeping everything flowing smoothly. Is the chapter making sense? I'm afraid that, as I add different events to different characters and shuffle them around, somewhere, it's going to get confusing to follow all the indicidual plots of each character. If you are having difficulty, please let me know.

Ruffio was my little shout out to one of my favourite Peter Pan movies: Hook. Ruffio was the leader of the Lost Boys, rather proud and punckish, but while he acted like he hated grown-ups, he secretly had always wanted a dad. And I figure, there must be some aspects of Neverland that are similar, to the story, otherwise, what happens to all the boys who don't work for peter Pan? On Once, Wendy says that Neverland is an island, with no grown ups to tell you what to do, and there are fairies an mermaids...but it was at night when the boys started to miss their parents. So, I figure Neverland is relatively 'normal' during the day, and the boys are distracted by magic and games and flying, but at night, when they're alone, and they have time to think...that's when their memories come to life.

I'm thinking of delving a little deeper into that idea with Emma and the adults on the island, as they spend the night there. I'm just trying to think of the best way to have them confront their past.

That's it for now.

Any theories, ideas and reviews are welcome!


	6. Night Falls

Author's note: Hi everybody! Thank you so much for your revies, follows and favourites, they encourage and inspire me to continue writing!

Here's my next chapter, which is predominantly a 'setting the scene' type chapter, as, while I have some ideas, I'm still undecided as to what _exactly_ each character will be confronted with. You'll see what I mean as you read!

I also have a couple of new theories, which I will tell yo uabout in the author's note below. In the mean time, please enjoy chapter 6!

~..~..~..~..

Regina paced along the shore impatiently. The sun was setting and no mermaids had turned up yet with her son.

She'd been searching the forest for the majority of the day, looking for the Lost Boys, but to no avail. 'It appears that Indian Chief sent me on a wild goose chase', she mused as she paced, grinding her teeth.

Needless to say, the Evil Queen was feeling frustrated.

Which was not good.

For anyone.

A splash caused Regina to turn, where she found the three mermaids she'd threatened earlier, waiting by the water's edge.

"Finally," she'd had enough of waiting and the sun was about to set. "Where's my son?"

"On land," one of them answered slowly. "We couldn't reach him."

Regina felt her body go still as her mind tried to process what she had been told.

"Then where is he?" She demanded, her anger reaching boiling point.

The mermaids looked at each other warily as they began slowly moving backward into the water.

"We don't-"

Regina reached out with a hand and magically dragged the three mermaids up onto the shore, where they were pinned down, their tails flapping helplessly against the sand.

"I told you I wanted my son brought to me before sunset," Regina reminded them. "And do you know what happens when I don't get what I want?" She smiled slowly as a fireball ignited in her hand, causing the mermaids to shrink away in fear of the flame.

"Bad things happen," she said softly as she raised the fireball above her head, ready to throw.

"Regina!"

Turning, Regina spotted David and Hook emerging from the forest edge.

"Looks like you're back to your old self, Your Majesty," Hook commented as he observed the mermaids pinned on the sand. Meeting Regina's gaze, Hook raised his eyebrows mockingly.

"What would Henry say?"

Regina swallowed guiltily. Then she frowned. Her son had been kidnapped and taken to a strange land, he had been alone on this island for _two days_, she was practically sick with worry, and Hook thought she was overreacting?

She adjusted her aim until the pirate was in her line of fire.

"Regina," David raced forward, hands out to try and stop Regina's actions, "we know where Henry is."

"What?" Regina dropped her hand, snuffing out the fireball.

"Ariel had grabbed him to keep him safe from the Lost Ones," David began.

"Then, when you threatened the mermaids, it became difficult for her to deliver him to us," Hook added, gesturing to the mermaids still pinned at their feet. "If not for your own impatience," the pirate smiled, "you could have had your boy in your arms by now."

"He's now at the Lost Boys camp, with Emma," David finished quickly, shooting a glare at Hook.

"With Emma?" Regina repeated.

"Ariel couldn't get Henry out, but she could take one of us down," David explained. "Emma chose to go down, using a mermaid's tear."

"And she, Henry and now Snow White are at the Lost Boy's camp, where the boys kept prisoner here reside," Hook finished, casting a wary eye over the darkening sky. "Now, shall we return to my ship? We mustn't be on land when night falls."

Regina turned back to the mermaids stranded on the shore. With a wave of her hand, the mermaids were released from their magical bonds, and quickly returned to the ocean.

She let them go unscathed. Her son was her top priority.

"No," Regina told the two men before her, though her focus was on Hook. "You'll take me to the Lost Boy's camp. To my son."

"Absolutely not, we must return to my ship," Hook insisted urgently. "We cannot be on land after nightfall."

"Why? David asked curiously. "You and Gold have been talking about how dangerous this place is, and we've been ashore all day, and there's nothing out of the ordinary here."

The pirate shot the prince a look.

"That's because, during the day, your mind is distracted by the world around you," Hook explained in a low voice as his eyes continued to flick towards the darkening sky. "But have you noticed how, at night, before you go to sleep, your mind is no longer focused on what's around you, and begins to wander? You begin to think of the past, or plan for the future, dream dreams before you've even begun to sleep?"

David frowned slightly as the pirate took a step towards him.

"Night is when this place comes to life," Hook explained. "If you are on land, everything you've ever believed in, hoped or feared can come to life to haunt you through the night. The lost Boys trapped here," Hook gestured inland, "are haunted by their memories of those they've left behind. Or who have left them. Now tell me, Your Majesties," Hook turned his gaze from the Prince to the Queen, "how many people have you been separated from, that you wish to see again? How many times have you envisioned your greatest fear of losing a loved one? Because believe me," Hook promised in all seriousness, "the island will show you both scenarios tonight."

Regina's hands shook. She knew that she had done some horrible things in the past. And to be confronted by them all would be... torturous. She took a breath to try and steady herself. But she had to find Henry.

"I need to get to my son," she said in determination.

"And I need to get to my family," David added, turning to the pirate. "We told Snow that we'd meet up at the ship," he reminded the pirate. "So if we head to the camp, we should meet them in the middle."

Hook shook his head in bewilderment. They had no idea...

"The camp is in that direction," Hook pointed before moving along up the shore to return to where the Jolly Roger was moored. "You lot can go insane for all care. I'm not staying on land."

But as the last of the sun's rays faded from the sky, Hook was forced to stop as a dense mist suddenly rose up through the forest, obscuring the forest floor and reaching out towards the water's edge.

He closed his eyes in despair.

"Oh, no," he whispered.

It was too late now. No one could leave land once night had fallen.

~..~..~..~..

"Why do you want the boy?" Rumple asked Pan slowly, his mind racing, as he tried to connect the dots himself.

"What game is this: Twenty questions?" Pan asked, chuckling slightly.

"No, it's chess," Rumple answered smoothly. "My favourite game."

"Well, I've always found that game boring," Pan said. "It's an old man's game. I can't leave this island, so I need more _interesting_ things to occupy my time."

A light went off in Rumple's mind, and he thought he'd finally been shown a piece of the puzzle.

"You want Henry in order to survive outside Neverland. To travel to other worlds," he whispered.

"True enough," Pan replied. "He's a powerful boy, his belief is so strong…and he doesn't even know it yet."

Rumple mulled this over, as he settled into a more comfortable stance.

"I did mention a deal," he put forward.

"You did," Pan nodded, intrigued by this new game. "But it would have to be something good to make me give you the boy."

"But I don't want the boy," Rumple told his opponent.

That comment got Peter Pan's attention.

"And yet you are willing to deal for him?" Pan queried, his curiosity piqued.

Which is exactly what Rumple had been hoping for.

"You want Henry's body and power in order to leave Neverland and travel to other worlds," Rumple put forward. "I have that power myself, you know."

"Yes, the Dark One's curse," Peter Pan drawled. "But tell me: Why would I want my spirit to live in the body of an old man?"

"Because even if you do take Henry's life, as powerful as he is, the moment you leave Neverland, his body will still grow up, grow old and die," Rumple spoke plainly, citing Pan's greatest fear and was rewarded as the eternal boy swallowed nervously, his mouth twisting with distaste.

"But my power can transfer to whomever claims it as theirs," Rumple added quickly. "You can keep your own body, leave Neverland, and _still_ have life eternal."

Peter Pan smiled eagerly as he considered the possibilities.

"And what of the boy?" He asked.

"Henry and his family are reunited and granted safe passage to return home together," Rumple stated his terms.

Pan became pensive, and Rumple thought some extra encouragement may help.

"You could win from every angle," Rumple put forward carefully. "You could have all of my power, plus eternal life _and_ you get to keep your own body. Whereas, if you took the boy's, you will be powerful…but mortal as soon as you leave this land."

Peter Pan stood still as he considered the deal, his writhing shadows the only indication of the myriad of thoughts going through his mind.

"Do we have a deal?" Rumple asked.

Peter Pan raised his eyes to Rumplestiltskin's.

"Only if you play my game first," the Shadowed One hissed.

Rumple sat down on the edge of a 'bed' made from the very wood that made up Peter Pan's tree house.

"Very well," Rumple invited carefully. "What's the game?"

"One of my favourites," Peter Pan smiled as he filled a large trumpet-shaped flower with a potion that the most powerful fairies on the island had created for his use. "It's called 'Memory'".

Rumple swallowed. He had a bad feeling about this, although, he granted, he never expected Pan's games to ever be pleasant.

"And how do we play?" Rumple asked.

"Simple," Peter Pan smiled as he brought the potion filled flower forward and offered it to The Dark one.

"Drink this," Pan smiled, "and you'll take a walk down memory lane."

Rumple took the flower in hand, but didn't drink. He was trying to figure out what purpose Pan had for this game of his.

"I don't understand," he admitted slowly.

Peter Pan laughed as his multitude of shadows filled the room.

"That's no ordinary potion, Dark One," he chuckled. "I haven't had anyone to use it on for centuries. It's been maturing for a while now, and its potency grows with _time_."

Rumple's eyes grew wide as he stared down at the potion he held in his hand.

"The potion of Haunted Souls," he whispered.

"Very good, Dark One," Pan congratulated as Rumple tried to keep his mask of calm on his face. "Although, I know potions are one your many specialties, so I shouldn't be surprised."

Rumple frowned slightly.

"Why would you want me to take this?" He asked.

"You're a smart _man_, Rumplestiltskin," Peter Pan grinned. "Figure out my game."

Rumple stared at the potion in his hand. This was a potion so rare, even he had never actually made it. Only the most powerful of Dark Fairies could do it.

If he drank it, Rumple would enter a dreamscape of sorts, where his spirit would separate from his body to visit those his heart was closest to. Then, as he ventured deeper into the dreamscape, he would begin to watch his past memories unfold before him. And not just any memories: but the ones that most defined him. And in Rumple's case, as with many cases, those events were often the hardest moments of his life.

And at over two hundred years old, Rumple had many, many, hard memories that he knew he would be forced to relive.

"Wait a minute," he whispered. "It would take me a long time to go through _all_ my defining memories, Pan," Rumple thought he could see, maybe not the whole point, but possibly a bonus for the eternal boy. "You could have got to Henry by the time I wake up from this."

"Time's ticking then," Peter Pan grinned. "So you either say goodbye to your grandson for sure, or drink that potion and face your demons, Dark One."

Rumple stared at the dark purple potion that filled the delicate-looking trumpet flower.

"If I make it through this dreamscape, my grandson is safe from you, along with his family?" Rumple clarified. "They can go free?"

"Yes," Peter Pan smiled. "And I'll take _your_ power instead."

Rumple swallowed.

"And if I don't?"

Pan thought for a moment. "If you don't, well... I get the boy _and_ your shadow, while you live the rest of your eternal life on this island, _completely_ insane." The boy's grin was strangely chilling. "You're right: I can still win no matter what."

Rumple cast his eyes down once more to study the potion in his hand.

"Tic-tock," Peter breathed into the still air of the dark room. "Tic-tock, tic-tock."

Rumple closed his eyes. Now was the time to face his demons. Maybe, on the other side, he could beg Bae to forgive him...

"Deal."

With a wave of his hand, a contract appeared. He knew it was the only way to ensure that Peter Pan kept his word. For his contracts were _magically_ binding.

Pan clicked his fingers and his signature appeared along the bottom of the scroll.

After securing the contract safely within his jacket, Rumple brought the flower to his lips and drained it. Throwing it aside, he lay down on the hard wooden cot.

"Excellent," Peter Pan crowed, making his way over to his beside, where a large basin made from shiny black obsidian appeared. Magically, the stone basin filled with water, and as Rumple's eyes closed as the potion began to take effect, Pan stared greedily into the bowl as colours began to swirl across its surface.

For centuries, he had been trapped here on this island, immortal, and yet unable to travel between worlds. For if he left this place, and the magic it held, he would age and turn into dust. So he relied on his Shadow and his fairies to travel worlds for him.

But even so, he had never actually seen for himself what it was like outside of Neverland.

But the Dark One... Oh the Dark One had seen so many things and travelled to many different realms throughout his long life.

And as he traversed his dreamscape, Pan would be right there, watching it all in the scrying bowl.

"Teach me, Dark One," Pan whispered hungrily. "Show me everything."

The boy would come to him eventually. If the centuries had taught Pan one thing, it was patience. For now, he felt he should learn about the worlds he would soon get to visit.

~..~..~..~..

Belle sat up in bed, reading by the light of the bedside lamp.

Turning a page of Henry's book, she sighed slightly. She had just finished reading about how Rumple had first become the Dark One to save his son from having to go to the Ogre's war.

Belle could remember the ogres, and how they had nearly invaded her village. She had seen the damage that they could do. And for that heartless Duke to enlist fourteen year old children to fight on the frontlines...Belle shuddered slightly as she traced Rumple's picture. He had simply been a father, desperate to spare his son from the horrors of war.

And it had cost him everything...

"Belle?"

Belle froze at the sound of his voice before slowly looking up.

'No,' she thought as she felt her jaw drop in shock.

But Rumple stood before her, smiling tenderly.

"Hello, sweetheart," he greeted softly.

'He's really here,' Belle realised and moments later, she'd flung off the covers and raced across the room.

"Rumple!" She greeted happily, reaching forward to embrace her love...

Only to have her fingers pass right through him.

"Rumple?" Belle asked, confused. "What's going on?"

"I'm on a dreamscape," Rumple tried to explain as best as he could, quickly. "Only my spirit is here. I don't know how long for, though."

Belle longed to touch him, but knew she couldn't. So she had to settle for taking in the sight of him.

"Are you alright?" She asked. "Why are you on a dreamscape?"

"I made a deal," Rumple admitted, not knowing how much time he had, and wanting to make the most of what could possibly be his last chance to talk to his True Love. "If I make it through this dreamscape, confronting my hardest memories, I can save my grandson from Peter Pan."

Belle froze.

"_If _you make it through?" She repeated.

Tears filled Rumple's eyes as he watched Belle's eyes widen with fear.

"You didn't tell me to stay here just to protect Storybrooke, did you?" Belle asked, already knowing the answer.

"Belle," Rumple raised a hand and made to cup her face, keeping his fingers millimetres away from her skin so as to keep the illusion that he could offer comfort with his touch.

"I have done so many monstrous things in my lifetime," he confessed. "And the time has come for me to pay for all the mistakes I've made. This is the price_ I_ have to pay."

"But you have to come back to me," Belle told him.

Rumple smiled, feeling tears trailing down his own face. "How could I be so lucky as to have earned such a beautiful heart as yours?"

"You're not a monster, Rumple." Belle insisted. "You're a man who loved his son so much he was willing to do anything to protect him. That's who you are: A man who would do anything to protect his family."

Rumple so wished he could touch her. Hold her one last time.

Belle's eyes widened as Rumple's image slowly began to fade.

"Rumple?"

Time was running out.

"Belle," Rumple gained his love's attention. "You were the only one whose love was true enough to break my dark curse. Any curse can be broken, and you certainly broke mine, for it was you who reminded me of the kind of man I had always wanted to be. Love is the most powerful magic in the world," he reminded her, trailing his fingers millimetres from her cheek, wishing he could kiss her tears away. "It's the only magic powerful enough to transcend realms and break any curse."

"I'll find a way to reach you, Rumple," Belle told him. "I love you."

"I love you, Belle," Rumple told her. "Always."

Belle tried her best to keep her tears from falling as her love faded from sight.

But as she found herself alone once more, Belle felt her legs give out and she collapsed onto the carpet, sobbing.

Rumple had been through so much throughout his life, and all he had ever truly wanted was to be a father for his son. Now, he was risking everything he had to save his grandson.

Belle felt her breathing come under control as a wave of determination rose up in her heart.

Rumple deserved to be happy...their whole family did...

'True love is the only magic in the world powerful enough to transcend realms and break any curse,' she remind herself. Standing up slowly she returned to the bed and withdrew Henry's book from beneath the covers, staring at Rumple's picture. 'Well,' she thought, 'time to test it."

Reaching out, she traced her fingers along Rumple's picture.

If there was one thing that being Lacey had taught Belle, it was that she could love both the good side _and_ the dark side of Rumple.

And while Belle had previously been wary of magic, Lacey had shown her the benefits of it, if from a slightly shallower perspective.

"I'll find a way to reach you, Rumple," she repeated. "I promise: I will find you."

~..~..~..~..

Emma and Henry had been planning to spend the night at the camp, where Henry seemed to momentarily forget that he was in danger as Ruffio and the other boys taught him more about sword fighting as well as how to set up traps using vines, sticks and pieces of string or shoe lace.

Emma had let him play, wanting to let him just be a boy for a while.

But when Snow had turned up, they had a few moments of happy reunion before Snow told them that David and Hook were going to get Regina and meet them at the Jolly Roger.

Eager to see his mother again, Henry agreed to leave straight away.

They had only walked a few feet through the forest before the mist rose up.

"Brilliant," Emma muttered, squinting as she tried to use the moonlight to see through the mist. "I can't see a thing."

"Okay everybody," Snow called out, "we should stick together. Hold hands."

Reaching out for her daughter, Snow only grasped air.

"Emma?"

Emma stretched her arms out wide on either side of her. The fog was so thick, she couldn't see anything. It was probably a good idea for them to stay in contact, but Emma couldn't feel her son or her mother.

"Henry?" Emma called, worry entering her voice as she heard nothing but silence in the thick fog. "Mary-Margret?"

Nothing.

"Mom?"

Henry reached around him, he was sure him mom and grandma couldn't be that far away.

"Guys?" He called out. But only the swirling mist surrounded him. "Where are you?"

"Hello Henry."

Whirling around, Henry saw Mr Gold standing clearly before him in the thick fog.

"Mr Gold?" Henry wasn't sure whether to be happy to see his grandfather or not, but at the moment, he was relieved to see anyone in this place.

"I have to admit," the older man mused, "I didn't expect to see you. Although," he added thoughtfully, "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

Henry stood still.

"Are you going to kill me?" He asked.

Rumple closed his eyes. He knew, then.

"No," Rumple told his grandson. "You're family."

"But," Henry stepped forward hesitantly, "there was something about a prophesy...?"

Rumple nodded.

"Yes," he nodded, "but you remember what I told you about seeing the future, Henry?"

The boy cast his mind back to New York City, when they were searching for Baelfire. "It's never what you expect," Henry recalled.

"Correct," Rumple nodded. "And I believe I'm starting to figure out how the prophesy will come to pass."

"How?" Now that Henry knew his grandfather wasn't going to kill him, Henry was curious. Stepping closer, Henry froze as he realised that the mist swirling around him was actually passing _through_ Mr Gold's body.

"Uh, Mr Gold?"

Chuckling slightly at the boy's expression, Rumple held out a hand up toward the moonlight so that Henry could see the mist passing through his spirit body.

"I am on a dreamscape, "Rumple explained. "If I make it through, you are able to go free, Henry."

"Really?" Henry exclaimed hopefully before frowning slightly. "But, you're 'Rumplestiltskin'. Why would you do that for me?"

Rumple knelt down to look the boy in the eyes.

"Because my son is your father," Rumple explained simply. "Now, I have done many terrible things in my long life, Henry. But family is one of the things that I hold sacred." He lowered his eyes sadly. "I spent a lifetime trying to find my son, only to lose him." He met the gaze of his grandson once more. "You're the only part of him I have left. He would do anything to protect you, I know it. And so, to honour my son's memory, I hope to ensure your safety from Peter Pan."

"How can you do that?" Henry asked slowly.

"By surviving this dreamscape," Rumple answered, figuring the boy deserved the truth. "If I can relive all of my hardest memories, and wake up safely, you and your family will be free to leave Neverland in safety."

"And…if you don't?" Henry put forward fearfully.

Rumple gazed at his grandson.

"I will survive this, Henry," he told the boy who reminded him so much of his son.

Henry's eyes widened as Mr Gold began to fade from sight.

"Whoa," he breathed, before realising that he'd forgotten something very important.

"Wait!" he tried to keep his grandfather's attention. "My dad's still alive!"

Henry's voice sounded faint to Rumple as he began to drift to the next stage of his dreamscape.

"What?" He asked, unsure if he'd heard correctly.

"Aurora said he's in the Enchanted forest!" Henry said in a rush as Mr Gold faded away completely.

Henry's eyes scanned the mist that seemed to glow a shining white under the moonlight. But his grandfather had disappeared.

"Mr. Gold?" Henry called out. "Mom? Grandma?"

Silence was the only answer he received.

~..~..~..~..

Neal landed hard on the ground just as the mist enveloped him.

Groaning from the pain from his still healing side, Neal coughed to clear his throat of grit as he looked up to see Tinkerbell hovering just above his head.

"Nice landing," she commented drily.

"Hey, it's been a while since I've flown," Neal admitted defensively as he stood up. "I think I did okay."

Dusting himself off, Neal couldn't even tell whereabouts in Neverland he was, due to the thick mist.

"Perfect timing," he whispered sarcastically before turning back to the fairy, who had come down to land on his shoulder so to not get lost in the mist.

"Do you know where Emma and Henry are?" He asked her.

Tinkerbell shook her head.

"Last I saw them, they were on the shore by the Indian village," Tink admitted. She studied Bae's face. He had certainly had grown up, but Tink could still see the boy she once knew in his eyes and mouth.

"Are you sure you want to be out here right now?" Tink asked. "You remember what the night does."

"I do," Neal said softly. "But I have to find my family first."

"You won't know if they're real or not," Tink reminded Bae. "Not until the sun rises and the mist disappears. Come with me to the fairy's tree house," she suggested. "Our magic can hide you from the mist."

"Where are we at the moment, Tink?" Neal asked, determined.

"Not far from the Mermaid Lagoon," Tink answered slowly.

Neal sighed. "Perfect," he muttered. He was here to find the woman he loved, and the first place he lands in is where a bunch of man-killing mermaids lived.

He turned to the fairy once more.

"Thanks for the ride, Tink," he told her.

"Any time," Tink smiled.

"You go on back home," Neal suggested. "Before they wonder where you've gone."

Tink frowned.

"But I want to stay with you, Bae" she said. "I can help you get through the night. It'll be just like it used to be."

But Neal shook his head.

"I need to find my family," Neal said firmly. "And _you_ need to avoid getting Peter Pan's attention for leaving without permission. I can face my own demons now."

Reluctantly, Tinkerbell took flight.

"I'll see you at sun's first light," she promised, before disappearing into the mist.

Taking a deep breath, Neal closed his eyes, trying to keep his mind calm. The mist had only just appeared, so he knew he had a few minutes before-

"Bae?"

Looking around, Neal was surprised to see his father standing before him. Though as the mist was swirling through his body, Neal knew he wasn't really there.

"Oh god, it's starting already," he whispered. Neverland used your past against you, and now, apparently it wasn't just seeing his father letting him go...

Rumple stared at his grown boy, blood beginning to seep through his shirt and the bandages beneath.

"My dreamscape has truly begun now," Rumple whispered. "The time has come for me to take responsibility for my past."

"What?" Neal repeated. This didn't seem right. "What do you mean: a dreamscape?"

"Oh, son," Rumple sighed as he came forward slowly. "I'm so sorry. For everything. I thought we had more time. And now I've lost you."

Neal paused as he considered what his father was saying, and decided to stay silent.

"All I ever wanted was to be your father, Bae," Rumple told his son. "I had grown up without a father, and I was going to do anything it took to ensure that you didn't have to suffer the same fate." He sighed. "But the seer told me that no matter what I did, you would still grow up fatherless."

"Wait," Neal held up a hand. "What do you mean: A seer told you?"

Rumple smiled slightly.

"I've never told you that story before, have I son?" He took another step forward. "When I was enlisted to join the ogre's war, I was tasked with guarding a young seer, who told me that my actions on the battlefield would leave my son fatherless. I thought that meant I was going to die. So I broke my own leg, to return home to my family. I was labelled a coward for running, but I didn't care. I could take the bullying and the abuse, if it meant that I could give my son a father."

Rumple took a breath, he knew he had to tell his son the whole story, if he were going to make it out of this dreamscape with his mind intact.

"When they tried to take you to the ogre's war," he continued, "I knew I was again willing to do whatever it took to keep you safe. So I took the Dark One's dagger. And for the first time, no one was abusing me. People respected me. They even feared me." He scoffed slightly as he remembered the man he'd turned into then. "It went to my head," Rumple admitted wryly.

"Oh, you think?" Neal asked.

"That time in my life was the worst for me," Rumple continued quickly. "For I was so focused on the power that I held, that I lost sight of the reason I had got it in the first place: you. And that led me to make the worst decision of my life."

Tears began to flow down Rumple's face. He could tell from the look on his son's face that he didn't need to remind him what that 'worst decision' was.

"I wanted to go with you the moment I realised what I had done," Rumple told his son honestly. "And from that moment, I vowed to do whatever it took to find a way to the Land Without Magic, in order to find you, tell you I'm sorry, and that I love you. I even found the seer once more, who gave me her gift of Sight. She told me that I would be reunited with you," here, Rumple swallowed, preparing himself. 'Honesty,' he reminded himself. "She also said that the boy who would lead me to you would be my undoing."

"Henry?" Neal asked, before panic began to fill him. "_What_? My _son_?"

"Rest assured, Bae," Rumple said quickly, "Henry is in no danger from me."

But Neal wasn't convinced.

"I know what you do to people in your way," he said slowly.

"But I won't hurt my family," Rumple raised his head, meeting his son's gaze. He had to show him that he meant what he said.

Neal studied his father's face warily.

"Why are you on a dreamscape?" he asked slowly.

"Pan wants Henry's life and power, his _belief,_" Rumple told his son. "He wants to be free to leave Neverland at last, and he wants to use Henry to do that." Rumple stepped closer to his son. "So I made a deal with him."

Neal's hands were shaking.

"What kind of deal?" He asked.

"I make it through this dreamscape," Rumple told his son, "and Henry and his family are granted safe passage from Neverland."

Neal considered his father with caution. There had to be more to this if Peter Pan wanted Henry so badly.

"There's gotta be more to it than that," he said and his father nodded.

"If I make it through this dreamscape," Rumple clarified, "then Peter Pan gets me, rather than Henry."

"But," Neal said slowly, regarding his father with surprise as he realised what his father had just said. "You'll die."

"Yes," Rumple nodded. "And I've made my peace with that." He gazed at his son fondly. "You were my only reason for living for the longest time, Bae," Rumple whispered. "I thought we had more time. I thought I could have the courage to talk to you if I had Belle with me. I thought, if I gave you space to spend time with your own son... But now I've lost you." Rumple had begun to sob as his grief overtook him. "So now," he continued, "I'm going to save your son."

Neal studied his father in shock. He thought that he'd died? But, didn't Aurora say that she'd seen Henry and Snow White in the Netherworld? Why didn't they tell him?

"Papa," he whispered, his throat so tight he could barely get the word out.

"I hope you can forgive me, son," Rumple told his boy, and Neal began to panic as his father started to fade from sight. "I'm sorry I failed you as a father. You were all I ever wanted." Rumple smiled sadly. "Regardless of what happens, I'll see you on the other side. Maybe then, we can start over."

"No, Papa, I'm not dead!" Neal choked out, reaching for his father as he faded from sight.

Alone in the mist, Neal collapsed to his knees.

His father, Rumplestiltskin, had finally chosen to do something noble.

And while Neal was happy to see that the good man he had once loved was still in there, somewhere, he didn't want his father to die. Not now.

But there was nothing Neal could do. His father had to pass this Dreamscape test on his own.

Well, Neal thought, if there was ever someone who could pass a magical test, it would be his father. If there is one thing that man knows, it's how to survive.

But then, he'd die at Peter Pan's hand, when his power would be taken from him.

Neal closed his eyes. His father had said goodbye to him, but he didn't get to say goodbye to his father.

He smiled wryly. He should have guessed that his father would choose to die as a result of a deal he'd made...

Neal's head shot up as he remembered...

_"I make it through this dreamscape," Rumple told his son, "and Henry and his family are granted safe passage from Neverland."_

'Henry and _his family_ are granted safe passage,' Neal breathed, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

There may still be a chance to save his father.

But first, he had to find Emma and Henry.

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: What did you think?

Adam and Eddy have said in interviews that the characters are going to be stripped to their core, and find out who they truly are in this series. Essentially, I believe that Rumple is simply a man who would do anything for his son, even if it is to his own cost, such as being labelled the town coward, or becoming the Dark One or losing his life. As such, I think Rumple is a hell of a lot braver than even he gives himself credit for, and I was trying to portray that part of him in this chapter.

As for Belle, I'm reminded of David's speech in 'We are both'. Even though she was only Lacey for a short period of time, Lacey is now a part of Belle. And I remember, in a past interview, Emilie De Ravin spoke of how the people who are closest to you having the greatest influence in regards to Belle and Rumple's relationship. So, I think, while Belle is still going to be her compassionate and forgiving self, I think we will be seeing Belle being less wary of magic and a bit more determined in this season coming up, especially if she thinks there's a chance she may not see her True Love again. I don't think either Belle or Lacey is the type of perso nto give up something they want so easily.

I'm planning for her to use her new power as Mayor to free the other people that Regina had kept prisoner in the Mental Ward under the hospital. Sydney Glass will be one of them of course, and I'm thinking Belle may ask for his help to find a way to contact Rumple, but if you've read my 'Deleated scenes' story, you know I also have a theory that Regina brought Gaston to Storybrook. Afterall, Jiminy cricket is once again human, why couldn't the same thing happen to Gaston?

New Theory: Soon after posting chapter 5. I was watching the episode 'Second star on the right' for inspiration. After Bae is adopted by the Darling family, Wendy tells Bae that the Shadow had been been coming to the window for a few weeks, around the time Bae had started hiding in the Darling house.

So now I'm thinnking, what if the Shadow had been tracking Bae, but didn't know what he looked like? I had thought that Peter Pan had been looking for Henry for about as long as Rumple had been the Dark One, but what if it were far longer than that? What if Pan had been searching for Henry for centuries longer, trying to find Henry by following his bloodline? I'm sure that Rumple has been a Lost boy before, so Pan has taken Henry's grandfather, then the Shadow found Bae at the Darling House in London, so he then took Henry's father...and now Tamara and Greg brought Peter Pan Henry himself.

And while that feeds my theory of Peter Pan being the head of the organisation that they work for, it kind of kills the one I had about Rumplestiltskin being the one to give Pan the picture of Henry.

Not sure how I can work around that, but I'll figure something out.

Now, as for the mist, as you can probably guess, I'm planning on having each character face either a memory or a fear throught the night.

I remember reading somewhere that ONCE were casting a man to act as a Navy officer of some kind, and I think that may be Hook's father, so I'm planning on Hook to see him, as well as perhaps Milah.

Regina, I'm thinking she'll see either Daniel, her father, her mother or even her son-they don't have to be dead, as it'll be an illusion brought about by their own mind, and Henry is definately at the forefront of Regina's thoughts right now.

David, I think may see his brother, James. I remember him worrying whether he could turn out like his brother, and David can be very impulsive, such as putting himself under a sleeping curse to see his wife only to leave his grandson alone. And I think he's also worried about whether he's being a father to Emma.

Snow, I think will see Emma, and confront the fact that she sent Emma through the wardrobe alone and never raised her daughter. She may also see Cora and confront her 'darker self'.

Neal, may continue to see his father and himself over that pit, but I also think he may see Henry, and see the parallels between the two of them, such as when Henry confronted them al labout magic by the wishing well.

Emma...don't know what she'll see yet- maybe her various foster families growing up?

Henry...not sure either- he's the one I'm really stuck on.

If anyone has any suggestions for what memories or aspects of themselves our characters should face up to, please let me know. I always appreciate constructive feedback and imput.

Thanks for reading,

Celino.


	7. A trip down memory lane: Part 1

Author's note: Hi everybody! Thanks so much for your reviews and ideas- some were quite inspiring! This is probably the bilongest chapter I have ever written for anything- but don't get too used to it, it was exhausting to write. But I loved it! So, here is chapter 7, but as you can tell from the title, this is a two-part chapter, so we're not seeing everyone's hallucinations in the mist. This chapter focuses on David, Snow, Emma and Regina, and I really wanted it to be a psychological experience for each of them, and I will explain my reasons in the author's note below.

I hope you enjoy reading it.

~..~..~..~..

David turned, searching for Regina and Hook through the dense white fog that filled his vision.

'Our memories come to life here,' David remembered Hook's warning as his eyes roamed: 'Everything you've ever believed in, hoped or feared can come to life to haunt you through the night.' What would this mist reveal to him?

After a few minutes of seeing nothing but white, David was becoming quite disorientated, and was surprised that he hadn't stumbled into anything by now.

However, he soon realised that the mist was beginning to clear, though his relief was short lived as he found that he was no longer on the shoreline.

David found himself standing on a grassy field. It was still night time, and it was difficult to see.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!"

David whirled around as an agonised scream tore through the air, and found himself facing the doorway of a small cottage.

David froze. This couldn't be real. It had to be an illusion of some kind.

For he was staring at his old home.

The door was open and as another scream cut through the air, David entered his home cottage.

For he now recognised the voice.

Inside, he found his mother, Ruth, youthful and clearly in pain as she struggled to give birth. The man at her side, who David realised was his father, bathed Ruth's forehead with cool water as a midwife prepared for the birth.

"One more push, Ruth," the old woman encouraged. "You can do this."

After a few tense seconds, a baby's cry sounded through the house.

"It's a boy!" The midwife cheered, wrapping the baby up quickly before handing him to his proud father.

"Oh, Ruth," the man gushed, showing the baby to his wife. "Look at our son."

"He's beautiful," Ruth smiled before being wracked with pain once more.

"Ruth?" Her husband asked, concerned before turning to the midwife. "What's happening?"

"Another's coming," the midwife hurried as the second child was delivered. "And it's another boy."

"Twins!" The father exclaimed in delight as Ruth claimed their second son.

Though she was exhausted, Ruth looked proudly down at her twin boys.

"Aren't they beautiful, Richard?" She asked her husband. "Aren't they the most beautiful things you've ever seen?"

"You did magnificently, sweetheart," Richard kissed his wife's head tenderly.

"You did very well Ruth," the Midwife congratulated as she cleaned up. "Twins are difficult to deliver. Sometimes, one or even both don't always make it."

"Thank you for your help, Doris," Ruth told the midwife, tired but grateful.

"My pleasure," She smiled. "I wish you all well for the future."

As the midwife left, David watched as his father became pensive.

Ruth looked up to see the concerned expression cross her husband's face.

"Richard?" She asked. "What is it? This is what we've always wanted."

"Yes," Richard nodded, gazing at his new family. "But what future can we give our boys, Ruth?" He asked despondently. "Our farm is failing. How will we provide for two growing boys? And winter's coming..."

"We'll find a way," Ruth told her husband. "We may not have much, but love is something we can always afford to give our boys. We'll find a solution."

"Don't you worry," a voice said. "I may have one for you."

Ruth and Richard looked up and David started as Rumplestiltskin stood bold as brass inside the small cottage he had grown up in.

"No," David whispered striding forward. "You're not taking my brother this time."

But as The Dark One stepped toward David's parents, he passed right through him as if he were made of air.

David stumbled, turning as Rumple stepped closer to the bed, looking around the small room.

'So,' David surmised, 'this really is an illusion, after all.'

'But,' he added to himself, 'is this what had really happened, all those years ago?'

"Who are you?" Richard demanded. "Get out of our house!"

"Now, is that any way to treat a visitor?" Rumplestiltskin pretended to sound offended. "Especially one with an offer."

"We're not selling our farm," Ruth insisted, holding her second son close, shielding him from this strange man who had suddenly appeared before them.

"Oh I'm not here to _buy_ your farm," The Dark One waved a hand dismissively. "I'm here to _save_ it."

Richard and Ruth shared a wary look.

"Save our farm?" Richard repeated. "Why?"

"That's my business," Rumplestiltskin answered. "What you should be asking is: _How_?"

"Alright," Richard granted slowly. "How?"

"The Queen, unfortunately, is unable to conceive a child," Rumplstilskin explained lightly. "King George is growing older, and in need of an heir. Whereas you are in need of a way to save your _charming _little farm," Rumplestiltskin gestured around the little cottage to the field beyond.

"The answer is quite simple, Dearie," The Dark One smiled. "One of your sons goes to King George, and you will be paid," Rumple waved a hand and a pile of gold appeared in a corner of the room, "a tidy little sum. That should be enough to pay your taxes for quite a few years now, shouldn't it?"

Richard took in the pile of spun gold before turning his gaze back on his eldest son, which he still held in his arms.

"You want to take one of my sons away?" Richard asked and David could see tears trailing down his father's face. It was only then that he realised tears were trailing down his own.

"Think about it," Rumplestiltskin encouraged. "You have more mouths to feed than you can afford. But if you make this deal, your son would be a _Prince_. He would grow up wonting for nothing. Raised by royalty, _as_ royalty. Your farm will be saved, and you will have enough gold to support your other son for _years_ to come. If you don't make the deal," Rumple added, raising both his hands in a 'who knows?' gesture, "well, you could possibly lose the farm and then how will you support your family, Richard?"

The man was shocked to realise that this strange being knew his name.

Rumplestiltskin took a step closer to the fearful father.

"And I have the feeling that it's going to be a very long, hard winter, this year," Rumple finished slowly.

Ruth held her second son close as she studied her husband's face.

"Richard," she whispered.

"We have to do what's best for our children, Ruth," Richard's voice was husky as he struggled with himself. "Our son will be raised well, by the king," Richard told his wife, trying to convince himself at the same time.

"Richard, you can't," Ruth cried out tearfully, still exhausted from her ordeal, it was all she could do to reach for her husband's arm with her free hand.

"Better than raising both boys on the street, only to have them die in winter from starvation," Richard said. "At least this way, both can live."

"Does this mean we have a deal?" The Dark One asked.

Reluctantly, Richard nodded.

"We have a Deal."

David had to watch, helpless to change anything, as his father stepped forward and placed the baby he held in Rumplestiltskin's arms.

"Father," David called out, even though he knew that there was nothing that could be changed. "_Please_ don't. King George will ruin him."

Rumplestilskin held the newborn baby boy securely in his arms.

"Oh, and one more thing," Rumple added as he stepped nimbly out of reach of the parents before they changed their minds. "You must never speak of this deal to anyone. And you must never try to contact him in _any_ way. If the boy is to be raised as royalty, people need to believe he really _is _one."

"What?" Richard asked.

The Dark One smiled.

"Pleasure doing business with you," he turned his gaze to Ruth, or more specifically, the baby she held in her arms. "Until we meet again."

In a swirl of smoke Rumplestiltskin was gone.

"No!" Richard collapsed on the ground, breathing hard. "My son!"

Standing up, he strode across the room and kicked at the pile of gold that Rumplestiltskin had left, scattering it through the dirt that made the floor of their home.

Frustrated to boiling point, Richard punched a wall repeatedly until his knuckles bled before collapsing once more to the floor.

"I'm sorry son," he mumbled. "I'm so sorry."

Ruth gingerly climbed off the bed, carrying their remaining son. Now their only son.

"Richard," she said husband gently.

"I'll go get him back," Richard stood back up and made for the door, David had to get out of the way quickly in order to avoid being walked through, but he still followed his father outside.

"If you try to get him back, King George will _kill_ you," Ruth flew into a panic as she tried to stop her husband from leaving. "Not to mention that man who took him." Catching up to her husband, Ruth placed their remaining baby in his arms. "We may have lost one son," she granted sadly. "But we cannot forget the one we still have."

David watched as his father gently held the baby, _him_, in his arms.

"You're right Ruth," Richard sighed. "We have to take care of our son, don't we?"

"What shall we name him?" Ruth prompted.

Richard thought for a moment as his baby son grasped one of his father's fingers in a tight grip.

"David," he whispered.

"No!" David yelled at his father. "You gave up your son. How could you do something like that?"

His young parents disappeared as swirling mist enveloped him again. And again, David recognised his home, only this time, it was his castle.

And the woman holding the baby in her arms, was none other than Snow.

"Take the baby to the wardrobe," Snow told her husband.

David began gasping for air as he watched this scene replay itself.

David hadn't wanted to send Emma away. Neither had Snow.

"We have to give her her best chance," Snow told him tearfully before leaning over the tiny baby girl that was their first child. "Goodbye Emma."

David watched his past self leave, grabbing a sword as he did so. This time, he was able to hear his wife's anguished sobs as she mourned the loss of their daughter so soon after she was born.

"No," David whispered. "Not again." Racing out the bedroom door to where his past self was, at the end of the hallway, placing his baby daughter inside the wardrobe.

"Find us," he pleaded before closing the doors.

Swirling mist enveloped him once more and David wondered where he could possibly be going to now. Already he felt drained, and closed his eyes, unwilling to see what new sadness he would have to relive. How much more could he go through?

As the mist cleared, David felt confusion as he found himself somewhere he didn't recognise at all. _This_ wasn't something from his past.

He was in a bedroom of a small house. The faded wallpaper was peeling in several places and there were two bunk beds crammed into the tiny room.

"Okay," a voice said from the hallway, "time for bed now, Kelly."

David turned to see a five year old girl being led into the room by another girl roughly about twelve years old, and he felt a gasp slip from his lips as he realised he was looking at a twelve year old Emma.

'Why am I seeing this memory?' He wondered, before wondering if this was even a memory. Still, having the opportunity to see his daughter as a little girl was enough to make him smile.

She was beautiful. Looking like any other twelve year old of her world, the young Emma certainly didn't look like a future Saviour: wearing an oversized football shirt to bed, her blond hair still wet from the shower, she pulled back the covers and the little five year old climbed in.

"Will you read me a story, Emma?" the little girl, Kelly, asked hopefully, pulling a tattered book from under her pillow.

"That book _again_?" Emma asked, and though she sounded exasperated, a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Kelly nodded, causing her short dark hair to bounce around her thin face.

"My daddy gave it to me," Kelly held the book close. "Please Emma?"

"Scoot over, kid," Emma told Kelly, who moved aside to make room for Emma on the small lower bunk.

"Okay," Emma began, opening the book on her lap as Kelly leaned into Emma's side, sucking on her fingers absentmindedly.

"Once upon a time," Emma began, "there lived a king and queen who longed for a daughter. One day, they were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, who had skin as pale as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as night. They named her: Snow White."

David listened sadly as his daughter unknowingly read her own parent's story to the little girl. It was nothing like the real thing, of course, but the essential elements were there.

"And with true love's kiss, the curse was broken, and Snow White woke up to see her true love. They were soon married and lived happily ever after." Emma closed the book as she finished.

"Now it really _is_ bed time," Emma said as Kelly had begun to doze off on her shoulder.

"Emma?" Kelly asked sleepily as she lay down on her pillow. "Why did the King marry the Evil Queen? Why didn't he just raise her on his own?" The girl's voice was no longer sleepy, but insistent. "Why did he have to give her a new mother who didn't even _want _her?"

Young Emma's face became sympathetic and David realised that this little girl, Kelly, had actually gone through what she had just described.

Emma slowly sat back down on the bed, wrapping an arm around Kelly.

"Kelly," Emma began slowly. "A dad's job is to give their child everything they can. And...Snow White's dad probably thought that a new mom was what his daughter needed to grow up happy. He just didn't realise she was evil until it was too late."

Kelly held her book close to her as she lay back down.

"Emma?" She asked again as the older girl got to her feet. "Why doesn't Mr Wilkins give us _anything_?"

David watched as his daughter's young face became more morose.

"Because Mr Wilkins isn't our dad," Emma answered flatly. "Now _goodnight_, Kelly."

David watched as his twelve year old daughter turned out the light and left the room, and he was thankful to find that he could actually walk through the walls of this past scenario of her life.

Young Emma walked into the living room, where a man was watching a football game on T.V.

"Excuse me?" She asked hesitantly.

"Is the kid finally in bed?" The man asked, barely glancing away from the screen.

"Yes," Emma answered slowly.

"Then what are you doing in here?" The man, who David assumed was Mr Wilkins, demanded. "You _know_ you can't come in here when the game's on."

"I wanted to ask you something," Emma put forward cautiously.

"Not now, Emma," he told her. "The Chiefs are ahead by ten points! We have to get back into this thing!"

Emma appeared to be screwing up her courage for something before stepping forward to block the view of the screen.

"What are you doing?" the man, Mr Wilkins demanded.

"I wanted to ask you for something," Young Emma said slowly. "Then I'll move."

"If you don't move now, I'll-"

"I won the speech competition at school," the girl announced in a rush. "There's going to be a prize giving tomorrow. Will you take me?"

Mr Wilkins paused.

"Do you win any money or anything?" He asked.

"Well, no..."Emma admitted. "I think it's just a certificate."

"Then what's the point?" Mr Wilkins asked dismissively. "I don't get much money from the government for you girls, and if you're not pulling your weight-"

"Pulling our weight?" Young Emma repeated. "_You're_ the grown up. You're supposed to be looking after _us_. But _I'm_ normally the one who cleans the house, _Shannon_ is normally the one who cooks the dinner and _Mikayla_ is normally the one who pays the bills and gets Kelly ready for school in the mornings. Even _Kelly _has to set the table and wash the dishes."

"Listen, you little brat," David watched, furious, as Mr Wilkins stood to lean over his young daughter threateningly. "I took you in. I put a roof over your head. If it weren't for me, you'd be living on the _street_, so you ought to be a little more grateful." The man smiled gently, though it didn't reach his hard eyes. "You'll be out of this house when you're seventeen, so I give you and the other girls more responsibilities, so as to help prepare you to take care of yourselves when you're out. I do it because I _care_," his voice had become gentle, but it had lost none of the menace. "Now get to bed, Emma. There's a good girl."

Shoving Emma out of the way, Mr Wilkins resumed his seat to continue watching the game on T.V.

David wished he were able to punch the guy as he followed his daughter as she ran back into her bedroom. Climbing onto the top bunk, above Kelly, Young Emma pulled out her baby blanket from under her pillow.

David watched sadly as Emma traced the name that Granny had embroidered on the blanket with purple yarn years ago, silent tears trailing down her face.

The sound of a window opening caused Young Emma to quickly tuck her blanket away, hiding it once more as she wiped her eyes clean of tears.

David turned to see two teenage girls climbing carefully in through the window.

"Did he notice we left?" The first girl asked as she climbed into the room, wiping her dark hair out of her eyes.

Emma shook her head.

"He's been watching the game all day," Emma answered. "Now he's on another one."

"Don't you love Super-bowl Sunday?" The second girl asked, whipping off the blue beanie she wore and shaking her blond hair out. "Everyone's so glued to their T.V screens, they don't see what's happening outside their front window."

"You're back early," Young Emma commented quietly.

"Got the job done early," the girl with the dark hair said proudly, holding up a handful of money.

Young Emma's eyes widened.

"How did you get _that_ Mikayla?"

"My boyfriend P.J knows some guys who strip a car down to sell for parts," the girl, Mikayla explained quietly as she removed her jacket and shoes. "We were actually able to steal this brand new Jeep, and the guys had the money right there to pay us." She grinned. "I'll soon have enough money to start a life for myself when I get out of the system," her eyes travelled to the five year old girl, asleep on the bottom bunk.

"And I'm taking my sister with me."

"You can do that?" Emma asked, curious.

"I'll be legally old enough to take care of myself," Mikayla held her head proudly, "so I'll be legally old enough to take guardianship of my sister."

"Mr Wilkins won't like that," the blond girl, who David figured to be Shannon, commented from the top bunk opposite Emma. "You'll be taking his meal ticket away."

"He'll get other kids, no problem," Mikayla answered her face full of determination. "I'm not having my sister stay in this house longer than she has to." Reaching over, Mikayla gently stroked her little sister's hair as she slept. "Family has to stay together."

Young Emma's face twitched and her hand slid once more underneath her pillow.

"Thanks for taking me out tonight, Mikayla," Shannon said from her bunk as she counted her share of the night's cut.

"Hey, you'll be out in just two years," Mikayla told the girl. "You've got to start saving up. 'Cause Mr Wilkins'll give you _nothing_ once you're old enough to leave."

Shannon smiled before meeting Young Emma's gaze.

"Next year, I'll take you out," Shannon promised. "I'll teach you everything Mikayla taught me before I leave. Then you can get money for yourself."

"Can't I come just leave with you Shannon?" Young Emma asked, desperately. "We're like sisters, aren't we? Family sticks together."

"We're not family," Shannon shot back firmly. "We only have ourselves at the end of the day. But like I said," the fifteen year old continued, "I'll teach you everything Mikayla taught me, so when you get out, you can make some money quickly."

"Okay." Young Emma nodded slowly. "Thanks."

"Night guys," Shannon pulled her sheets over her head.

"Turn out the light, Emma," Mikayla mumbled as she got into bed, tired from the night's work.

Slowly, Emma reached from her place on the buck, down to the light switch on the wall by the door.

As the room was plunged into darkness, David started slightly as the mist rose up once more.

This was how his daughter had grown up? In a loveless house where she was seen as little more than a servant who brought in money to pay the bills? David could feel the tears trailing down his face. He had been so focused on saving Emma from the curse, that he hadn't even considered the fact that he had sent a new born baby girl away alone, to be raised by complete strangers. He

covered his face with his hands. All she had ever wanted was a family and what happened instead? Because her parents had wanted her to be 'The Saviour' she had grown up alone and unloved.

He gazed around at the mist that surrounded him. He was feeling drained emotionally, on this rollercoaster ride of memories...were they even real memories?

David felt his breathing catch as he noticed the mist clearing once more, and he braced himself, ready to confront whatever was in store for him now.

Of all the things he had been expecting, David was completely surprised to see himself staring back at him.

"What the-" David stepped back in shock as the man before him smiled. The man before him was dressed in a tailored black doublet, a sword hung at his side. He held himself proudly, assured of his own greatness.

David felt his jaw drop as he realised he wasn't, in fact, staring at himself, but his twin brother.

"James?"

James smiled smugly, stepping forward as he crossed his arms across his chest, studying his twin.

"Hello brother," he greeted.

"You're not really here," David whispered, trying to convince himself more than anything. "You're just an illusion."

"If your mind believes something is real," James replied, "then it _is_."

"Why are you here?" David demanded.

"You tell me, brother," James insisted, placing a hand on the hilt of the sword that hung by his side, which David recognised as his own.

"Our father gave you up to King George," David began slowly. "He wanted you to have the best life he could give you."

"And, you wanted to tell me that?" James queried, raising an eyebrow sceptically. "Come on, I am a _Prince_. I _have_ a father, and he was a _King_, not some poor Sheppard."

David shook his head.

"How did you get like this?" He asked his brother. "Arrogant, pragmatic, impulsive...King George ruined you, brother."

"You think so?" James asked. "Because you could have been describing yourself just then."

This time, it was David who stepped forward.

"I am _not_ like you," his said in a low voice. "I've _helped_ people. I protect them. I fought for my kingdom so that we could live in peace and prosperity."

"So high and mighty," James sneered. "Quite _arrogant_ of you, to think that you're better than I am." James smiled as David paused to consider. "Did it ever occur to you," James continued, "that I _also_ fought so my kingdom could live in peace and prosperity?"

"By killing giants?" David asked.

"By getting the gold we needed to _survive_," James clarified. "Now, correct me if I'm wrong," James continued, "but wasn't it _you_ who pushed for Regina to be publicly executed? You didn't even want to hear any other ideas...death was the only option." James smiled. "And you call _me_ ruthless?"

"That was different," James insisted. "She would have killed us all. She had been _trying_ to."

"And_ I_ was trying to save my kingdom from becoming bankrupt," James countered firmly. "And on another note," he continued quickly before David could think of a retort, "remind me, dear brother: What did you do when your wife and daughter fell into that portal you sent the wraith through?"

"I tried to follow them," David answered, unashamed. "_To protect my family_."

"Which would have left your grandson behind, alone." James added flatly. "_That's_ a great way to protect your family. Although," James stroked his chin thoughtfully, "he did still have his 'Evil Queen' adoptive mother there to care for him," James grinned, "you would've made her dreams come true if you had gone, I'm sure. She would have had _no_ competition for Henry, then."

David lowered his eyes. Would Regina have helped to get them back if he _had_ been able to follow Snow and Emma into the portal?

"And let's not forget," James continued grandly, "about how you decided to _voluntarily_ go under a sleeping curse, _just_ to speak with your wife. Again, leaving your grandson on his own." James shook his head in mock disappointment. "What on _earth_ made you think that True Love's kiss would have worked in the Netherworld? Rumplestiltskin _told_ you that it is the _spirit_ that travels to the Netherworld, so surely you could've seen, logically, that the kiss wouldn't work?"

"I..." David's mind was racing and he swallowed nervously. "I didn't..."

"Think?" James provided, a smile spreading across his face. "No, you didn't, did you? All you could think about was seeing your beloved wife. You didn't even think about whether the kiss would actually work, and so, your grandson really _was_ left alone to be cared for by the 'Evil Queen'. It's a good thing she was there, actually," James chuckled as David covered his eyes with his hands, not wanting to hear his brother's words, even though they rang with truth. "For if she wasn't," James continued, "then Henry would've been _completely_ alone. And then Rumplestiltskin would've stopped your family from coming through the portal-"

"Stop it," David ordered.

"And then Snow would not have been able to get back to wake you up, and Henry would've been left alone in Storybrooke, with no family _at all_ to take care of him." James actually began laughing outright. "Isn't it ironic," he asked, "how you owe so much to the person you were so eager to kill all those years ago? Your own impulsiveness could have lost your family _everything_, and yet you call it bravery?"

"Stop it!" David yelled, taking a swing at his brother's face, only to have James mirror his action, causing the two fists to clash in mid air. A _thunk_ sounded from the impact.

"I am not like you!" David insisted, shaking the feeling from his hand. "I'm a _good_ person!"

"You're not as strong as you think," James insisted, shaking his hand as well. "And if you don't believe me, perhaps you'll believe _him_," he pointed over David's shoulder.

David whirled around to see...himself?

Only this time the man before him was not dressed in royal attire. Only in a humble flannel shirt and jeans.

David's eyes widened as he realised who this was.

"_David Nolan_?" Now, Charming's head was spinning. This was getting to be too much.

"Hi," Mr. Nolan greeted gently, his hands in his pockets.

"Why are you here?" David demanded.

"Well , I'm a part of you," Nolan shrugged slightly. "You said so yourself: 'I am both.'"

"You're only a part of me because of the curse," David told the man before him.

"Not really," Nolan replied casually. "You see, what the curse did was take our best qualities and twist them, so that we became simply a different version of ourselves. Take us, for example," he gestured to himself and Charming. "You always want to do the right thing, and so do I, I'm just not that good at knowing what 'the right thing' necessarily _is_."

"And you hurt the woman I love because of it," Charming told him. "That proves we're different. I _can_ do the right thing."

"Really?" Nolan asked, curious. "You mean like: sending your newborn daughter through the wardrobe to be raised by the likes of Mr. Wilkins?" Nolan raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Was that the right thing?"

"It was the only way to ensure the curse could be broken," David insisted.

"True," Nolan nodded. "But was it the _right_ thing? Because Emma had a point," he continued. "Even if the three of us ended up cursed, we could've been together."

"You were in a _coma,_" David reminded his cursed self.

"Only because you were unconscious at the time the curse hit," David supplied. "I _had_ a cursed life, you know. Kathryn and I were having a rough time...maybe I could've ended up meeting Mary-Margret instead of having my accident, you never know?"

David shook his head in exasperation.

"But it doesn't matter now, does it? None of it!" He yelled. He turned to view his brother, still standing nonchalantly behind him. "You're dead!" He told his brother, pointing a finger accusingly before turning back to his cursed self. "And you're saved. You're both just trying to confuse me," David accused them, turning his gaze from one to the other. "I _know _who I am."

"Do you really?" Nolan asked.

"Because I don't think you actually do," James added thoughtfully.

David frowned as he continued to look between the two men who stood either side of him.

"Because we're here, right now, because of you," David Nolan told Charming.

"So that must mean you have doubts about yourself." James added.

"You feel trapped," David Nolan gained Charming's attention once more. "By your own doubts and fears."

"About who you once were," James supplied.

"Who you want to be," David Nolan added.

"Or who you might become..." James let his voice trail off with a smile.

"Because we, after all-" Nolan continued.

"-are merely a reflection of you," James finished.

Charming froze. Standing before his brother, he reached a hand forward. James mirrored his action.

As the fingertips touched, David struggled to breathe as he felt, not his brother's hand, but the cool smooth feeling of glass.

"No," David whispered.

Spinning around, Charming reached toward David Nolan, only to find himself once again, against glass.

"Mirrors," David whispered.

Up, down, left right, forward, back, David found he was boxed in on all sides by glass.

"Look at us, _Charming_," David Nolan leaned one arm against his side of the mirror. "And see the aspects of yourself that you don't want to acknowledge."

"Your Dark self," James grinned.

"Your Weak self," Nolan added.

"No," David shook his head, not wanting to believe it. "I am _not_ like you!"

Turning to his brother, he swung a punch at his face, only to have James mirror the action and both fists clashed once more against the glass, neither leaving so much as a crack.

"I'll break the mirrors!" David vowed, turning back to Nolan, he aimed a punch straight at his cursed self's face. Nolan, however, didn't move quickly enough, and Charming was able to land a punch square on his face. However, as the _thunk_ of fist-hitting-mirror sounded, David felt himself reeling back in pain.

Looking up, Charming met David Nolan's gaze. Blood was trickling from Nolan's nose, and as David brought a hand to his own face, his fingers came away with blood from his own nose.

"What the..."

"Careful," James laughed. "Don't beat yourself up."

Breathing hard, Charming launched himself at the plain glass sides of the box, trying to break through.

"This is a box you've place around _yourself_, brother," James taunted, completely at ease as he watched his twin exhaust himself. "It exists in your _mind_. You can't break free."

"Watch me!" David was determined. "I'll get out."

David continued to shove, push, punch and kick the sides of his glass prison, but he couldn't even make a crack.

"I'll get out," he muttered.

He shoved against the sides, trying to see if he could rock the box, maybe tip it over and smash it, but it seemed stuck fast to whatever surface it was attached to.

"I'll get out," he muttered.

"You haven't learnt a _thing_ yet, have you?" James questioned his twin as he stopped for breath. "Such arrogance."

Panting, David reluctantly met his brother's gaze.

"What makes you say that?"

"This box is in your _mind_," Nolan reminded Charming. "Do you really think pushing and shoving is the right way to do this?"

Charming calmed down his breathing, and after a few moments he realised that what he was doing now was no different to what he was doing when he suddenly decided to take the sleeping curse, leaving Henry alone. He turned his gaze from his brother to his cursed self: Representations of the parts of himself he didn't want to be. But he realised, he wasn't acting like how he wanted to be right now, either. He was acting like James: Pragmatic and impulsive. And this wasn't exactly working for him, was it?

David took another breath, calming down. He had to think. If this prison was a product of his own mind, then could his mind be what breaks it?

Sitting down, David closed his eyes.

"Oh look," James commented sardonically, "he's actually stopping to think for a change."

"Now, is _this_ the right way to do this?" Nolan put forward.

David opened his eyes to view his brother and his curse self. Both were a part of him, whether he liked it or not. But everyone had good and bad within them. Everyone had strengths and weaknesses. He really had been arrogant, to think that he was above all of that.

David Nolan jumped as a crack shot across his mirror.

"Yes," Charming smiled as cracks began to criss-cross their way along James's mirror also, "I think this_ is_ the right way to do this."

Suddenly, the glass box shattered completely, and the mist came rushing in to claim him once more.

~..~..~..~..

Snow moved cautiously through the thick white mist, her arms outstretched to warn her of anything she was about to bump into, all the while calling for her daughter and grandson, but hearing only silence.

After a few minutes, Snow was surprised that she hadn't bumped into anything yet, as they had been in the forest when the mist rose up. Surely she would have felt a tree or something by now?

Looking down, Snow couldn't even see the forest floor beneath her feet. Everything was white.

Maybe she was walking around in circles?

Suddenly, Snow noticed the mist clearing and her heart leapt at finally being able to find her family.

However, she was brought up short as she found herself in a large castle courtyard, people bustling to and fro as they went about their work.

Turning in a circle, Snow could see no evidence of the forest she had previously been in. Had she walked to this place? Or was this part of the power of Neverland?

"Excuse me," she walked up to a young woman with dark hair who was carrying bags of flour over her shoulder. "Could you tell me where-"

Snow gasped with shock as the young woman passed right through her.

Spinning around, Snow watched as a group of courtiers approached, and as the woman with the flour passed, Snow noticed a young woman in the regal group stretch out a foot to trip her up. Flour flew everywhere as the woman fell on the hard cobble stones.

"You stupid, foolish girl!" The peasant cried out angrily as what was probably over a week's work of flour went spilling, worthless now to sell.

A man in a golden tunic came forward, clearly a royal.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"The peasant fell. As they do." Snow's eyes widened with shock as she realised that the disdainful courtier who had tripped the peasant girl up on purpose was none other than her own mother.

Snow could do nothing but gape as the King reprimanded the poor miller's daughter when she had done nothing wrong.

Her mother had always raised her to treat others the way she wanted to be treated. She had ruled with a kind and fair hand. How could she have started out like..._this_?

"What is your name?" The King demanded, jolting Snow back to the scene she was viewing.

The peasant girl raised her head proudly.

"Cora," she answered.

Snow felt her jaw drop and had to cover her mouth as the King ordered Cora to kneel, and stay kneeling as their group passed.

She understood now, she thought, as she watched the mocking laughter in her mother's young eyes and the burning humiliation in Cora's. She understood why Cora had hated her family so much. It was this one moment, she realised...this one moment had started _everything_...

The mist enveloped her again and Snow had a few moments of swirling white before the mist cleared once more.

She stood at a castle window, looking out into the night, where an icy wind blew snow and rain across the courtyard.

A cry of pain caused Snow to turn around, and she realised she was in her castle home. Only this time, she wasn't the one giving birth on the bed, but her mother. Her father, King Leopold was nowhere to be seen, but Snow could see a shadow of someone pacing in the hallway by the light coming from under the closed bedroom door.

A baby's cry echoed throughout the room, and Snow hurried forward to see herself as a tiny baby, being handed to her mother.

"Well done, Queen Eva," one of the midwives congratulated as they laid the baby in her arms.

"King Leopold," another midwife hurried to the door as the third began cleaning up. "You have a beautiful, healthy girl."

Snow watched as her younger father entered the room eagerly.

"A daughter," he greeted his new family proudly as the midwives left the family alone to spread the news throughout the castle. "What shall we name her, Eva?"

Snow watched as her mother gazed out the window, pensive.

"Snow White," she suggested softly.

"Snow White? It's beautiful," the king commented. "But why give her such a name?"

Eva sighed as she turned back to her husband. "I want to give our daughter this name for two reasons," she explained. "The first, is that this is been a very long and hard winter, possibly the harshest one our kingdom has ever seen." Eva nodded to the window, where the blizzard blew outside. "But even the harshest winter can be overcome," Eva continued, turning to admire the early snowdrops that had been placed by her bedside by one of her hand maids earlier that day. "Our daughter's name, Snow, will be a reminder of that. Her very name will remind herself and others that even the worst of times will end, and so hope will always endure."

"Such a strong meaning behind her name," King Leopold granted, nodding his approval. "It truly fits a future Queen, for she will surely face many challenges in her life."

"Yes," Eva agreed, "and that brings me to my second reason." Eva's expression became regretful as she gazed upon her husband's face. "Do you remember how I was when we first met, Leopold?" She asked her husband. "I was so selfish and petty."

"Eva," the king admonished. "You were young, nothing more."

"I was horrible," Eva disagreed. "And I don't want our daughter to be as I was. I want her heart and soul to be as pure a white as the snow that is falling from the sky right now. Our daughter will be _good_."

"And I'm sure she will be, my love," Leopold assured his wife. "But you must remember, dear: There is light and dark in all of us."

"Our daughter will be white," Eva insisted, smiling as she stroked her new baby's face. "Pure, Snow White."

Snow stood in slight shock as the mist crept over the scene, obliterating her young parents from her sight.

She had thought that her mother had named her Snow, simply for the fact that she was born during such a long, harsh winter. But had Queen Eva really given her the name as a reminder to try and fix her own mistakes through her daughter?

The mist dissipated and Snow found herself standing beside her mother's body as she lay dead in the empty castle hall after her funeral.

"Oh, Mother," Snow whispered, collapsing beside the woman she missed most. Hadn't she just seen her mother, young and beautiful and full of hope for the future of her newborn daughter?

And now she was looking upon her mother once again, regal and kind, even in death.

Snow stepped forward to clasp her mother's hand, and gasped when her hand travelled straight through.

'This isn't real. It's just a memory' she berated herself before settling to look at her mother's face.

"Mother..." she whispered tearfully, but a fluttering sound caused her to look around.

The blue fairy had appeared, fluttering down from the ceiling, and Snow's eyes widened as she transformed into Cora.

"Of course," Snow whispered. Hadn't Cora admitted to being the one who had deceived her about the candle? Snow supposed that Cora hadn't been able to resist turning up to gloat over the woman she had hated for so many years.

"Poison looks good on you," Cora smiled as she gazed upon Eva's pale visage, "and death is most certainly your colour."

Snow listened as Cora said her piece to Eva, of how she had orchestrated this to make Regina the queen and Snow would only know how it felt to be 'the miller's daughter.'

She watched as Cora leant over her mother's body.

"I'll turn Snow's heart as black as coal," the woman vowed, "and once I've darkened her soul, it won't just be you that I've destroyed: It will be your legacy."

Snow placed a hand over her heart as the scene faded from sight.

Her mother had vowed to raise Snow to be a pillar of virtue... Cora had vowed to blacken Snow's heart to destroy the good that her mother had tried to create...

Snow could hear her own voice echoing around her in the mist images floating around her before becoming lost once again in the swirling mist.

"All my mother wanted was for me to be _good_," her thirteen year old self sobbed.

"My mother had always told me to keep goodness in my heart, and this woman proved she was right," Snow saw herself tending to a woman who had called herself 'Wilma' as she told a story.

"You don't think it's too late for her?" the same woman asked as they walked together through the woods. "I don't think it's too late for anyone," Snow had answered.

Then the two of them came across the villagers that had been killed for helping Snow.

"I take it back," Snow saw the horror and despair cross her past self's features. "I could never forgive her. There is no good in that woman, _none_."

Turning, Snow watched the forest fade back into the mist as another scene came forward. Snow could see the room of their war council, where Charming was pushing for Regina to be executed.

"You given her a thousand chances and she'd betrayed you a thousand times," Charming was telling Snow in exasperation. "And you want her to be given another chance?"

The scene changed and Snow the palace courtyard before her as the palace archers took aim at Regina for her execution.

Snow watched as her past self called out for the archers to stop just as they loosed their arrows.

"This isn't the way," she told Charming as she made her way down to the courtyard floor.

The scene faded and Snow then saw Regina pushing her past self against the wall of the corridor outside her cell, stabbing the knife deep into her chest.

"This is a trick," Regina muttered as Snow calmly pulled out the blade, completely unharmed.

"It wasn't a trick," Snow had told her. "It was a test. One which I truly hoped you would pass."

Her wedding day soon replaced the prison corridor, and Snow watched her past self draw the sword from her groom's side to threaten the woman in black.

"She's not the Queen anymore," she announced to the room. "She's nothing more than an evil witch!"

A few moments later, the mist dissolved away completely and Snow found herself standing in the Storybrooke cemetery, watching herself and David standing over Johana's grave.

"I was told my entire life: Hold on to goodness," Snow was saying sadly. "It's what my mother taught me. How many more lives is following that lesson going to take away from us?"

"You can't let Cora make you lose sight of who you are," her husband had told her, "someone who does the right thing."

"The right thing," Snow repeated slowly. "I made the right decision when I stopped Regina's execution all those years ago. When that could've saved us all this heartache. I made the _right decision _when I sent Emma through that wardrobe alone. And we never got to see her first steps. I made the _right decision_ when I let my own mother die from Cora's poison."

Snow watched her past self, from only a few weeks ago, in fact, as she announced the very thing that had started to blacken her heart.

"I'm going to kill Cora."

The scene shifted once more and Snow saw herself standing in Regina's family mausoleum, holding the box containing Cora's heart.

"You're mother can't love you Regina, she doesn't have her heart," Snow had had told her step-mother, improvising to make up for being caught red-handed. Snow had to admit, that part of her had been glad that Regina had taken Cora's heart from her. Snow hadn't had any clue how to put Cora's heart back into Cora's body, but Regina knew.

But as Regina left the room, her face clearly filled with hope, Snow clasped her hand over her own heart as her past self covered her mouth in horror as to what she had just done.

The scene faded into the mist once more and Snow only just realised that she had begun sobbing as she viewed all of these past moments as they came and went around her.

She could see that it had been like a constant war between her mother's promise and Cora's. She would try and forgive Regina, and then denounce her. Over and over and over again.

Eva's legacy? Or Cora's vow?

And Snow finally thought she realised exactly what it was that had blackened her heart. It wasn't the fact that she had killed Cora. After all, Snow had killed many on the battlefield before, not to mention the knights guarding King George's castle, when she was trying to rescue Charming, before Regina called for a parlay.

No, what had started to blacken her heart was the fact that she'd deceived Regina. She had manipulated her step-mother's emotions to get her to kill the very woman that Regina had loved most, to satisfy Snow's own desire for vengeance, disguised as a bid to save Gold's life.

_She had disguised a malicious act as kindness_.

And the worst part was, Snow realised, was that, if she _had_ been sincere, and had never cursed Cora's heart in the first place, Cora probably would have not killed Gold in the end, as her daughter would have been enough for her.

But then Gold would have died from Hook's poison...Henry's grandfather...and Neal's father.

Which would have been the better option?

Snow supposed it didn't matter now, though she had to admit that she trusted Gold more than she had ever trusted Cora.

Snow clutched her head in frustration. She used to know who she was...but now she had no clue at all...

Eva's Legacy? Or Cora's Vow?

"Snow," a voice called.

Snow slowly raised her head to see her mother standing before her.

"Mother?" she asked, her voice catching in her throat. "How are you here?"

"Because you wanted me here, sweetheart," Queen Eva smiled as she came forward. "You need help."

"Yes," Snow admitted in relief, not caring whether she was speaking to an illusion or not. Her mother had always lived on in her heart, and if this was her representation, Snow would take it. She needed it. "I need help."

"I can tell," her mother said disapprovingly. "I'm shocked at some of the things you've done, Snow. I thought I had raised you to be a better person than this."

"What?" Snow was confused. She was asking her mother for help about this battle waging within her and her mother was acting _disappointed _in her, as if she were a disobedient child?

"I told you, my dear," Snow gasped as Cora emerged from the mist to stand beside Eva, "I will turn her heart black." Cora smiled at Snow. "And you have done wonderfully, sweet Snow."

"No," Snow shook her head as she backed away from both women, standing calmly side by side. "You're not real," she needed to remind herself of this. "You're both just an illusion based on my own fears. She turned to the image of her mother. "I've always tried my best to follow the lessons that you taught me," she told her before turning to the image of Cora, "and my biggest fear is turning into someone like you: manipulative and cruel."

"Like what you did to my daughter?" Cora prompted. "All she had ever wanted was my love. But you knew that, didn't you, Snow?"

"I didn't have a choice," Snow defended herself.

"Of course you did," Eva reprimanded her daughter. "You could have truly brought mother and daughter together, Snow," Eva told her daughter sadly. "And yet you _chose_ to use Regina's love for her mother as a _tool _to ensure Cora's death."

"And you must make a choice once again, Snow," Cora added, stepping forward. "You must choose: who will you be now?"

"Will you continue to follow what I taught you, Snow White?" Eva asked.

"Or will you continue on the path I put you on?" Cora asked.

Snow shook her head helplessly for a moment before she realised something.

She had a choice. But it wasn't just between Eva or Cora.

Snow raised her head.

"Mother," Snow began slowly, trying to get her thoughts in order. "I know you must have gone through something incredible to have experienced the change of heart that caused you to go from a selfish girl to the virtuous woman I knew growing up. And I know that you want me to be a good person," she continued carefully, "but while I understand your reasons, I don't think it was right for you to try to fix your own mistakes through me."

Snow turned to Cora.

"Cora," Snow told her step-grandmother, "I am so sorry that Regina never got to truly know a mother's love. But if you had been able to see past the power that royalty gave you to see the wonderful family you already had, you would have felt more powerful than any royal; for that's the feeling I have when I'm with my whole family. You had tried to destroy me and mine for as long as I can remember," Snow continued, her voice growing stronger with conviction. "And while I have done things that I regret in my life, I will always do what it takes to protect my family. And I won't be afraid to take a harder path, if needed."

Snow raised her head.

"I don't have to choose between being like my mother or like Cora," Snow finished slowly. "I can choose to be like _me_."

"And who are you, dear?" Cora asked quietly.

"I'm not quite sure yet," Snow admitted. "I've always tried so hard to be like you, mother, I never really thought much about who_ I_ was. But I'm not afraid anymore," Snow added, "I just need to be sincere in my actions, rather than doing what's expected, or doing what's easy. And I know that my family will help me figure out who I really am."

Cora scowled and Eva smiled with acceptance as the mist began to reclaim them.

~..~..~..~..

Emma's eyes searched through the dense mist, trying to find her son.

"Henry!" she called, panic beginning to fill her. "Where are you? Come on, kid, talk to me!"

Suddenly, the mist began to dissipate, and Emma felt a surge of relief, soon replaced by shock as she suddenly found herself somewhere she had _not_ expected.

She was standing in a hotel room, and her eighteen year old self was lying awake on the bed, the sheet wrapped around her. Neal lay sleeping beside her, one arm draped across her body. Emma swallowed. She remembered this hotel room, glancing at the dream-catcher that lay on the floor.

Emma felt herself struggling to hold back tears as she watched her younger self gently trace Neal's face with a fingertip, smiling happily as he sighed contently in his sleep.

Turning on her side, the younger Emma reached down to where a bag lay on the floor. Reaching in, she pulled out her baby blanket.

After a few moments of tracing the name embroidered on the blanket, Young Emma started slightly as Neal's hand began to stoke her arm. Pulling her in close, Neal tenderly kissed Emma's shoulder, eliciting a giggle from the young woman he loved.

"Welcome awake," Emma told him fondly.

"I had the most amazing dream," Neal told her softly.

"Do tell," Emma invited with a smile.

Reaching over, Neal traced the name on the blanket with a finger.

"We had a family," he whispered, "and a real home. The beach was right outside our door, and we could watch our kids play."

"Sounds perfect," the younger Emma said wistfully.

"It was," Neal whispered. "We'll have to find a house like that."

"I'm sure there are lots of houses in Tallahassee like that," teenage Emma granted, before turning to cup Neal's face with a hand. "I think you'll make a great dad one day."

"I gotta be better than mine, at least," Neal smiled wryly.

"And mine," teenage Emma added sadly.

Neal gave her a look, "Emma."

"I'm serious Neal, look at this blanket," Emma held up her baby blanket. "It's homemade, you can tell. Why would my parents go to the trouble of making a blanket for me and then just abandon me on the side of the road?"

"Emma," Neal whispered soothingly. "While_ I_ may know my father let me go, _you_ can't possibly know the whys and hows. But you're right about one thing," he added gently. "Your parents made this blanket for you. So if they did that, then that must mean that they loved you. You'll be able to ask them the whys yourself when you find them."

"Do you really think I can?" She asked, her eyes filled with hope.

"I know you will," Neal told her surely. "Because it's what you want. And if there's one thing I know about you, Emma, you will always find a way to get what you're looking for."

Emma felt tears trickling down her face as she watched her eighteen year old self so happy, and completely unaware that Neal was about to let her go to jail, and she would be forced to give their son up for adoption.

Emma had often wished she could go back to this moment of her life. A time when she was happy, in love, and completely sure of her future.

The mist rose up and Emma watched as her happiest memory disappeared before her eyes.

The mist began to clear again after a few moments, and Emma found herself standing at the border line of Storybrooke.

Looking around in confusion, Emma soon spotted a car approaching from within the town.

As the car came to a halt not far from the border line, Emma was surprised as Mr. Gold emerged. Coming to stand in front of his car, Gold placed both hands atop his cane, and waited.

Emma swallowed as she turned to view the road that stretched before them.

Soon, lights could be seen heading their way.

"Finally," Mr. Gold muttered as the car approached.

The car stopped just outside the town boundary, and Emma was surprised to see a human-sized Tinkerbell climb out of the front passenger seat.

Going around to the back seat, Tinkerbell reached in, and after a moment or two, brought out a baby carrier.

As she passed the front, someone handed her some paper work, and Emma moved forward to see a younger August Booth sitting in the driver's seat.

Tinkerbell carried her bundle carefully as she crossed the borderline.

"You're late, Miss Bell," Mr. Gold told her calmly, though a bite of impatience could be heard in his voice.

"Well, this place isn't exactly easy to get to," Tinkerbell shot back as she handed the baby carrier over to Mr. Gold, who accepted it carefully.

"Here's the paper work," Tinkerbell handed over the sheets in her hand. "Adoption papers, the contract, everything."

"This was done privately, yes?" Gold confirmed, scanning the papers carefully.

"As you wished," Tinkerbell confirmed. "No adoption agency to ask too many questions."

"A closed adoption?" Mr. Gold continued, scanning another page.

"Mother wanted no contact," Tinkerbell nodded.

Mr. Gold paused as he found the names of the parents written on the adoption papers.

"Emma Swan," he muttered, "and Neal Cassady."

However the birth mother's signature was the only name on the contract.

"You got this all done very quickly, Miss Bell" Mr. Gold continued slowly, placing the paperwork in a pocket inside his jacket before handing over an envelope. "Very impressive."

"I have a knack for finding lost children," Tinkerbell said vaguely as she pocketed the envelope. "Now, are we done, Mr. Gold?"

Gold smiled slowly.

"Thank you for your business," Mr. Gold said graciously as he carried the small baby boy he had organised to be brought to town into the back of his car.

Emma couldn't take her eyes off the small bundle that Mr Gold strapped securely into the back seat.

"Henry," she whispered tearfully as Mr. Gold began to drive off.

As the car disappeared into the night, Emma then turned as Tinkerbell crossed the border once more to reach the car.

"He didn't recognise you as a fairy?" August asked her as she got back in the passenger seat and handed him the envelope.

"No," Tinkerbell replied. "He's cursed. Although, to be honest, we'd never _officially_ met. I'd only seen him through Bae's memories in Neverland."

August nodded.

"But now I know where this place is," August smiled slightly. "Thank you for finding it for me."

"I have a knack for finding lost things," the fairy told the enchanted puppet. "Especially when those things are touched by magic. And this place?" Tinkerbell gazed through the front window toward the small town, hidden from anyone who was not magical. "This place _reeks_ of magic, even though there is hardly any magic still inside the bubble protecting it."

"Yes, I know," August said.

Tinkerbell sighed, closing her eyes.

"So what, exactly, is your plan here, August?" Tinkerbell asked August as they continued to sit at the border. "I came to this world to find _Bae_, not his son."

"Simple, _'Miss Bell'_ " August said. "Emma is destined to come to Storyborooke, but the reality is, she'll need a _reason_ to come here." He shrugged. "What better reason other than her own son? I just needed to find where everybody was." He glanced aside to his companion. "Thanks again."

Emma frowned in confusion as she watched the pair in the car. She had often wondered how Mr. Gold had been able to procure Henry for Regina, when no one magical was supposed to be able to find Storybrooke, but had never imagined that it would have been _Pinocchio_ and _Tinkerbell_ who had been the ones to bring her baby boy from Phoenix to Maine.

"Can we get going now?" Tinkerbell asked impatiently. "I need to get back home."

"And I've got a plane to catch," August added with anticipation as he brought the engine to life.

The mist rose up once more, and Emma started slightly as she found herself standing practically nose to nose with Regina.

"Regina!" Emma exclaimed in surprise. "How did you get here so fast? Are David and Hook with you?"

"No," Regina said calmly. "Because I'm not really here, either."

"What?" Emma asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Weren't you listening earlier?" Regina's voice was exasperated, as if she couldn't believe how dense Emma was. "Your memories and thoughts _come to life_ here in Neverland!"

Emma studied the woman before her warily.

"So, what, you're... an illusion?" Emma asked slowly.

"In a manner of speaking," Regina folded her arms as she stood proudly. "And I'm here to tell you to stay away from my son."

"Not this again," Emma rolled her eyes, "seriously? He's my son too!"

"And as you saw, you still have no legal claim to him," Regina reminded Emma firmly. "You wanted no contact with him at all. You've known Henry for barely two years...I've known him his entire _life_."

Waving a hand, Regina caused the mist to swirl once more, this time transporting both her and Emma into Regina's home in Storybrooke.

There, Emma saw a baby Henry standing hesitantly, gripping tightly to the edge of the couch.

"Come on Henry," the past Regina encouraged gently, her arms outstretched nearby. "Can you walk to Mommy?"

Slowly, baby Henry took a small step. And then another. Letting go of the couch, baby Henry bravely made his own way across the short distance towards Regina's waiting arms.

"You did it!" Regina applauded, wrapping her baby boy in a hug. "Well done, sweetheart!"

They disappeared in a swirl of mist and Emma realised that tears trailing down her face.

"_I_ saw his first steps," Regina told Emma firmly. "_I _was the one who taught him to read, and when his first word was 'mommy', he was talking about _me_." Regina came to stand before Emma, tilting her head in an almost pitying fashion. "But none of that means anything to you, does it, Emma?"

Emma swallowed.

"Why are you here?" Emma asked the...whatever it was that was pretending to be Regina.

Regina smiled smugly. "I'm here to remind you of your own shortcomings, my dear," she answered.

"You've always been afraid that you weren't ready to be a mother, and you still are. You practically missed Henry's entire childhood. You missed so many firsts...but I got to see them all. Like his first day of school for example."

"Regina," Emma warned.

"He never clung to me, like the other children did with their parents," Regina told Emma softly. "He was so eager to learn he actually got changed into his school uniform after I put him to bed, and _slept_ in it. It was so crinkled the following morning I made him change into his spare uniform for school." Regina smiled reminiscently. "He was the top in his class in reading every year," she said softly. "Did you know that, Emma?"

"No," Emma admitted.

"Of course you didn't," Regina said quickly. "_You weren't there_." She smiled again. "But _I_ was. Every day, I was there for my son."

"And now," Regina continued, "after _years_ of being non-existent, _you _suddenly decide that you have the right to monopolise _my_ son, just because you broke the curse?"

"A curse that you cast!" Emma countered quickly.

"And why did I need to cast it?" Regina questioned. "Because your family has a talent for taking everything away from mine! My True Love died because of Snow White. I was forced into a loveless marriage because of her, losing everything I cared about. And when I tried to expose her as the selfish person she was, they called _me_ evil!" Regina had begun to circle Emma as she told her story. "Then she and her precious 'Charming' set out to take over _my_ kingdom, and destroy everything I had worked so hard for! And now _you_ want to take away the _one thing_ that I love in this world: my son." Regina's eyes were desperate as she met Emma's gaze. "And I refuse to lose anything more of mine to your family."

"What _is_ it with you and 'winning' and "losing'?" Emma asked. Her nerves were stretched to breaking point, her son had disappeared in the mist, along with her friend/mother, and she was standing here arguing legal custody technicalities with The Evil Queen from the storybooks.

"I had never intended to take Henry from you," Emma told her. "But you are so _obsessed_ with keeping Henry all to yourself, that you're only pushing him further away. You're practically putting him in a cage whenever he's near you! Why don't you call him 'Rupunzel' while you're at it?" Emma was not going to stand here and let Regina tell her what a bad mother she is. Regina wasn't perfect either.

"Henry sees us _both_ as his mother," Emma told Regina firmly. "Now, I know this is not going to be easy for _any_ of us," she continued slowly, "but the fact remains that Henry now has a much bigger family than either of us thought, and no matter what we decide: Henry has the right to have a family, and we have to remember _that_, above anything else."

"He has had a family with me his whole life," Regina said smoothly. "Family is not just blood you know."

"I know," Emma said through gritted teeth. "But if you think that a safe family home for Henry involves being in a house where he's practically a prisoner, then we've got a major problem."

The Evil Queen smiled coolly.

"Well my dear," Regina's voice was like satin over steel. "It seems we're at a stalemate."

~..~..~..~..

Regina stood warily as the mist rose up around her. Hook had said that memories could come to life in this place. What kind of things would she be forced to face?

Regina felt her heart stop as she found herself standing in her family stables. She saw a younger version of herself before her, Daniel at her side, and Cora blocking the doorway.

"Oh, no," Regina covered her mouth with horror as she watched as, once again, the love of her life was killed right in front of her.

'Why do I have to keep reliving this pain?' Regina thought as her younger self's mournful cry rang through the stables. This one moment was when her happy ending was taken away from her.

This mist up once more and Regina found herself seeing her younger self being fitted for wedding dress she would wear for King Leopold, and a young Snow White entering the room to compliment her beauty.

Regina watched as she, once again, felt her heart breaking as she realised that Daniel had been killed by her own mother as a result of Snow White being unable to keep a secret to herself.

"I should have let her die on that horse," Regina heard her younger self say, and Regina silently echoed the sentiment.

"That was the moment, you know," a voice said.

Regina turned and gasped as she found herself facing...herself. But this Regina was dressed all in black, her long hair cascading down her back as sauntered forward, confident and powerful.

This was the Evil Queen at the height of her power.

"It was that precise moment," the Queen clarified grandly, "that you started to become _me_."

"What's going on here?" Regina demanded, her own voice not nearly as strong as the Queen's.

"Look at yourself," the Queen scoffed, circling Regina like a vulture eying its next meal. "Look what they've turned you into: a _sheep_. Trying to do everything you can to make _others_ happy. Since when have either of us cared about anyone's happiness but our own?"

Regina shook her head, breathing hard as she tried to fight her reflex action of attacking.

"I didn't want to become like you," Regina protested.

"You didn't want this?" The Queen gestured to herself sceptically. "You had power over the Kingdoms, people fearing your very presence; you had everyone bowing down to _your_ glory!"

"I never wanted it to begin with!" Regina amended, her composure weakening as the events from the past few weeks began to finally catch up with her. Closing her eyes, Regina concentrated.

The Mist swirled to reveal a young Regina, held captive by tree branches as her mother stood below, preventing her from running away.

"You're just afraid of having all that power," Cora was saying.

"I don't want power!" Young Regina protested in exasperation. "I just want to be free."

"Power," Cora told her daughter," is freedom."

"You see?" Regina turned to her Evil alter ego as the mist obscured the scene. "I turned into you through my mother's meddling and Snow White's betrayal. It _wasn't my fault_!"

"And yet," The Evil Queen raised a finger as she made her point, "you _still_ ended up becoming just like mother."

The Evil Queen waved a hand, and Regina saw Henry hanging suspended, held captive by the tree just outside his bedroom window.

"Don't fight it sweetheart," Regina heard her voice saying. "You'll get a splinter."

Regina felt her muscles tense up as tears began to fall.

"I never wanted to be like my mother," Regina mumbled. "I just wanted her to love me."

Then Regina paused. But she _wasn't_ like her mother... not exactly. After all, Cora had made certain that Regina could do nothing to escape her marriage to King Leopold, and yet she, Regina had allowed Henry to leave with David.

She had taken care of Henry when David had failed to wake from the sleeping curse.

She had absorbed all the magic that Gold had used to block the portal at the wishing well, allowing Emma and Snow White to return to Storybrooke.

She had chosen to destroy the Curse of the Empty-Hearted rather than use it on her son.

And she had almost died saving Storybrooke when Owen/Greg and Tamara had triggered the self-destruct.

But even with all of her efforts, it was never enough.

"And yet it was because of mother, that you were able to overcome your heartache of your lost Love and forge a new path of vengeance against the one who put you on this path of Darkness in the first place," the Queen continued, smiled indulgently.

"And even with the Dark Curse, I still lost e_verything_!" Regina screamed. "Now, even my own son is lost to me."

"But you can get him back, you know," The Evil Queen told Regina.

"How?" Regina demanded. "Everything I've done to try and get him back have only pushed him further away." Regina began to break down. "And every time I've tried to be on my best behaviour, and let him go a little..."

"You make it easier for Emma and her family to claim him," The Evil Queen finished sourly.

"But what other options do I have?" Regina asked desperately. "He'll never forgive me if I hurt anyone he loves, and if we run, like I had originally planned with the self-destruct-"

"Run?" The Evil Queen sneered. "Now you're starting to sound like Emma."

"You do have other options Regina," another voice said gently. "They're more difficult however."

Regina turned to look behind her and, once more, saw herself standing in front of her. But this wasn't the Evil Queen. This Regina was younger. She wore her hair in a simple braid, and was dressed in riding gear. This was Regina when she had been young, and full of hope. When she had love in her life...

"Aren't _I_ who you truly are, Regina?" The younger version of herself asked softly. "Someone full of hope and love? You were never meant to be _her_," Young Regina pointed toward the Evil Queen, who met her gaze scornfully. "The only reason you became her," Young Regina stepped closer to plead her case, "was because you allowed others to mould you that way."

"Mould me?" The Evil Queen repeated. "What do you think I am, some lump of clay?"

"Yes," Young Regina told the woman in black firmly. "You are simply the pitcher on the potter's wheel, and people like Snow White, Mother, Rumplestiltskin and even Daddy acted as the sculptors."

Regina was apprehensive as she listened to the argument of her younger self. Was she right? Had The Evil Queen simply been a creation made by others? Could she go back to just being 'Regina'?

"Henry was so proud of you, when you volunteered to stop the self-destruct," Young Regina reminded her. "You still have a chance to be a part of his life."

"What part?" The Evil Queen snarled angrily. "A bystander, forced to watch him grow up on the sidelines, as his birth mother 'doesn't think it's best' for him to spend any time with his own mother, the one who _raised_ him."

Regina hung her head. Although she didn't want to admit it, the Evil Queen did have a point.

"But Henry still loves you," Young Regina put forward. "He still sees you as his mother. You and he can help the others to trust you."

"They'll never trust me," Regina whispered.

"It will be difficult," Young Regina granted. "The Evil Queen has done some truly terrible things in the past...but there is always a path to redemption. It just becomes a tougher road the longer it takes for you to change course."

Regina looked at her younger self.

"How can you be so hopeful?" She asked bluntly. "I'm not like you anymore," Regina could now feel the tears trailing down her face as the bleakness of her situation with her son became apparent to her. "I have no hope left now, none."

"Oh, yes you do," Young Regina told her. "Otherwise, I wouldn't even be here."

"Don't tell me that you're actually _listening_ to her?" The Evil Queen asked, shoving Young Regina aside. "Where has _she_ got you? It was because of _me_, that you were able to send Mother through the Looking Glass. It was because of _me_ that you were able to ensure the King's death." The Evil Queen came closer until she was standing nose-to-nose with Regina. "We don't _run_," she whispered. "We don't _share_. We _fight_."

Regina stumbled backwards, feeling claustrophobic in the dense mist.

"I'm not like you, anymore," Regina told the Evil Queen. "I'm not like _either_ of you anymore."

"Then who are you, Regina?" The Evil Queen asked.

"And choose wisely," Young Regina added.

Regina swallowed. She did need to choose.

But it was true: she wasn't like either of her past selves anymore.

So who was she now?

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: What did you think? As you can see, their visions weren't _quite_ what I had originally planned. I hope it wasn't too confusing, as I wanted the characters to confront the different aspects of themselves, I thought it would be good to have them _literally_ confront themselves in the mist. The tricky part was thinking of ways to differentiate the characters, so I hope you could follow it without too much trouble!

Now, to business...

David is often portrayed as the epitome of 'the hero', he is, after all, Prince Charming. However, I've noticed that in his efforts to be 'the hero' he is often very reckless and impulsive, which has led to others being affected. The part that really annoyed me in regards to David was the fact that he chose to go under a sleeping curse, simply to see his wife, who he knew was safe with Emma, leaving his grandson alone. It was lucky, actually that Regina was there to look after him.

The problem, in my opinion, is that David sees _himself_ as the hero- he always has to be the one to save the day- not that I have anything against David, of course- but I think he needed a reminder that he is not invincible and that his actions do affect others, especially his family. And David looked down on James and David Nolan so much, calling them arrogant and weak respectively, when he actually has those same qualities. I think there's a saying that goes something like 'whenever you point a finger at some one, remember there's four more pointing back at you' and I think David needed to see and accept his own limitations, in order to grow.

I also feel that he's be wondering how to be a father for Emma, as we've never really seen them having a 'father-daughter' moment in the series. I think David, again needed to see the life that 'being the hero' gave his daughter. And we got a hint as to how Emma learned how to steal a car, which lead to her meeting Neal!

Again, not that I think saving Emma from the curse wasn't the right course of action, I'm just saying that both sides of the story need to be told, and I thought David needed to see how Emma grew up, as a result of his actions, when, as he father, he's supposed to be the one taking care of his daughter.

I am really proud of how I wrote the first scene for him, where he saw the Deal his father made with Rumplestiltskin. His father, I believe, was a man trying to save his family home, and thought the life of a royal would be a good life for his son. Yet when he realised what he'd done, he was willing to risk his own life to get him back -something Charming probably would do- even if it would have meant leaving his wife and second son alone.

I'm especially proud of the glass box Charming trapped himself in- although I was starting to run out of ideas towards the end of this chapter...you may have been able to tell?

Now, for Snow...

While she is still struggling with the fact that she never got to raise her daughter, I think Snow's current concern is that she no longer knows who she is. And I think it really is like a battle between what her mother raised her to be, and how Cora's actions lead her to go against what she was first taught.

Personally, as Snow had clearly been in battles before, and so obviously must have taken lives before, I could never really see what was so different with Snow killing Cora. Also, she really was trying to protect her family from a woman who was obviously going to kill them all after gaining Rumple's power. Rumple may have been tricky, but had never tried to kill them, and so was the 'lesser of two evils' as it were. So, I wondered: what was it, really, that caused Snow's heart to blacken? And I thought it was the _method_, not the act itself. She had done something in the same way Cora would have, such as when Cora asked young Snow to tell her Regina's secret, pretending to meerly be a concerned mother.

But Snow, I think has been trying to act like the way her mother taught her for so long, that she's never really had the chance to forge her own identity. I remember Ginnifer Goodwin saying in an interview that she thought Snow was a bit of a doormat at times, as she forgave people so easily and gave them 1000 chances- was it _really_ so surprising to Snow that Regina tried to kill her in the prison corridor?

But now, I think Snow is going to take time to discover who she really is: not like her mother, not like Cora, but like _herself_.

Now Emma:

Emma's main worry, I think, is her son and whether or not she's really fit to be a mother for Henry. I wanted her to see Regina as she was at the begining of season 1, as I had thought Regina was being understandably defensive in the pilot, until it got to the 'I will destroy you if it the last thing I do' part... I wanted to bring Emma back i ntime a bit to address her real issue of motherhood, as I don't think she's really had the time to come to terms with the fact that she is a mother, and what she has to do as a mother.

But Emma, being Emma, is very stubborn and I think, while she does want to be a mother for Henry, not only is she terrified she'll do a bad job, but she's also afraid that if she gives Regina access to Henry, she'll do what she's always been trying to do: Keep Emma and Henry apart. And Emma has got to the point where she can't _not_ be in Hnery's life, and so the concept is terrifying for her. That's why I think Emma said 'I don't think that's best' when Regina asked if Henry could come stay with her awhile after the 'welcome home party' in the episode 'The cricket game'.

Regina...

Regina is in a similar situation as Emma, I think, which is why I had their scenes one after the other. Regina, like Snow, is struggling with who she is. Hers is the _real_ psychological battle, I believe, because there are so many different aspects to her. But watching the series, I realised that Regina is really just a woman who has been like a puppet her whole life, without realising it. Cora wanted Regina to become Queen, and so orchestrated Queen Eva's death and her meeting with King Leopold, even that oh-so-important moment when Regina lost Daniel due to Snow telling Regina's secret. Rumple, on the other hand, knew Regina would be the one to cast the Dark Curse to send them all to Storybrooke, and so tempted Regina with magic and took her hope away by showing it was impossible to bring Daniel back to life. Not to mention the fact that Rumple showed Regina that she would never be loved by those in her kingdom, causing Regina to fully become 'the Evil Queen' before ensuring that she could never harm Snow White in the Enchanted Forest ever again, and so giving her the leave to cast the Dark Curse.

The only time Regina was truly herself was when she was younger and in love with Daniel. Since then, she craved love, whether from her husband, who felt nothing for her, her subjects, who only saw her as evil, her passive doormat of a father, who let her go down the path of vengence without blinking an eyelid till his own life was at stake, or her mother, who had no heart. It was only as she was being a mother to Henry as he grew up, that she started to feel love again, but the scars of her past had left deep marks, making it difficult for her to truly love. However, I think Regina still has a chance, as Henry does still love her, and she has proven that she can be the hero she wants to be, when she saved Storybrooke. But, she was The Evil Queen for a long time, and so it will take _a lot_ for her to regain anyone's trust.

The reason I left Emma's and Regina's scenes with little or no resolution is because, unlike Snow and Charming who seem to be able to make a decision clearly and quickly, even if, in retrospect, it may have been the wrong one, Emma and Regina, I think have been through so much that they find it difficult to change their mind about something. Both Emma and Regina love Henry, yet both are afraid that if they let the other have access, they'll lose him completly. Both women are also very stubborn in their ideals, and so I think it will take more than just one night of soul searching to realise a way that is truly good for Henry, because, of course, each of them believes that _they_ know what's best for him...

Okay, I think that covers the bulk of what was going through my head as I was writing this chapter. There were more finer details in my thinking, but I think I've written enough.

I did say the mist was going to present a psychological battle, and I hoped I conveyed that clearly.

I do, however, realise that people have their own opinions, and/or may not understand what I've written or why I did it, so if you have any questions for me, please ask, and I'll do my best to answer.

Part 2 will feature Henry, Neal, Rumple and Hook's experiences in the mist. Just don't expect it to be as long as this one!

Okay, I need a rest now...Please review!

Celino.


	8. A trip down memory lane: Part 2

Author's note: Hi everybody! Here's the next chapter, and I believe I was mistaken when I thought it wouldn't be as long as the last one!

I use a lot of scenes from the series, both one and 2 in this chapter. No copywright infringement inteneded, they don't belong to me, but I thought that these scenes best helped our characters make a leap in understanding themselves.

I hope you enjoy reading it, and as usual, my theories and thoughts are below.

~..~..~..~..

Henry felt like he was standing inside a cloud as he gazed around warily, trying to see something, _anything,_ through the fog surrounding him.

'Anything you think of can become real here,' he reminded himself. 'Well,' he mused as he closed his eyes to concentrate. 'I want to see my mom.'

"Aaaaaaahhhhh!"

Henry's eyes flew open as a scream jolted him back to where he was.

But...where was he?

He was standing in the middle of a room, the walls an almost greyish shade of white. There were people crowded around a small bed, and by the sound of the screams, Henry was afraid that someone was being tortured.

However, just as he was about to make a break for the door, one of the people crowded around the bed moved and Henry's eyes grew wide at what, or rather _who_, he saw.

It was his mom, Emma.

But not as Henry knew her. She looked like a teenager, no more than eighteen or so.

'Wait...' Henry thought as he stepped closer to the bed where his young mother lay, looking closer at the room around him. 'Mom's _eighteen_?'

Henry crept closer to his mother until he was finally standing right beside her, looking down at her face as she panted for breath. Her wrists were strapped to the metal sides of the hospital bed she was lying on with padded cuffs of some kind, and her hair was plastered to her face with sweat and tears as she cried in pain.

"Can I have painkillers, _please_?" She begged the team of doctors and nurses around her.

"It's too late for that, Miss Swan," one of the nurses said in a monotone. "You're baby's decided to arrive now."

It was only then that Henry noticed that, under the blankets, Emma's belly was swollen.

"Oh, my god," Henry mumbled, feeling his heart pounding in his chest. "This is my birthday."

Emma's next scream of pain brought Henry back into the moment, and he noticed a tiny baby in one of the doctor's arms crying loudly.

"Is that really _me_?" Henry asked the room, but no one answered.

"Do you want to see your baby, Miss Swan?" The doctor asked the teenage girl lying on the bed.

"No," the young Emma whimpered as she covered her eyes with a hand. "I don't even want to know if it's a girl or a boy."

Henry watched as the doctor passed the baby, _him_, to a nurse, who wrapped him up and took him away. He turned back to the young Emma, confused.

She hadn't even wanted to _hold _him before sending him away?

"Excuse me?"

Henry looked up from his crying mother as a nurse stepped forward, seeming almost bored. "There's a 'Miss Bell' here to see Miss Swan. She says she has the adoption papers for her to sign."

Emma groaned, wiping her eyes.

"Send her in," one of the women tending to Emma ordered.

Henry watched as the doctors and nurses cleared out of the room, till only one remained. Releasing Emma from her restraints, the woman then poured a glass of water. As Emma slowly drank, a woman with blond hair entered.

"You must be Emma," the woman said, plastering on a smile that didn't hide the distaste in her voice.

"And you're Miss Bell," Emma greeted, her eyes closed wearily as she sat up slowly, wincing, giving the glass back to the remaining woman, who Henry realised wasn't a nurse, but a prison guard.

"You need to sign these," Miss Bell shoved some papers and a pen into Emma's hands. "They state that you are giving up your legal rights to your child, allowing him to be free for adoption, and that you will make no effort to make contact with him."

Emma took the papers but paused before writing her name.

"Him?" Emma repeated softly. "It's a boy?"

The prison guard gave the woman a look, but Miss Bell either didn't notice or didn't care.

"Yes, it's a boy. I watched the nurses clean him up. He's waiting in a carrier now," she confirmed.

Emma dropped the pen to bury her face in her hands.

"It's a boy," she sobbed.

"Alright Miss Bell, you need to go now," the prison guard stepped forward. "Miss Swan has only just given birth-"

"And as such, she needs to do what's best for her son," Miss Bell finished, picking up the pen to offer it to Emma once more.

Her hand shaking, Emma took the pen and slowly signed her name on each piece of paper.

When she was done, Miss Bell held out her hands for the papers, but Emma kept them close to her chest.

"He's gonna be given a good home, right?" She asked, her voice pleading, desperate for some kind of confirmation that what she was doing was right.

"We already have someone lined up for him," Miss Bell confirmed, a little more gently. "And she's looking forward to seeing her new son." She added firmly.

Swallowing, Henry watched as Emma placed the adoption papers in Miss Bell's hands. Folding them up quickly, Miss Bell placed them in a bag.

"Enjoy the rest of your life," she said in a manner of farewell before heading out the door.

Henry watched sadly as young Emma collapsed, exhausted, back onto the bed.

"So," the prison guard put forward. "Why didn't you want to hold him?"

"Because I thought that if I did," Emma explained tiredly, "then I would never be able to let him go."

Emma closed her eyes again. Her whole body was shaking with exhaustion and grief.

"Did I really do the right thing, Bernadette?" Emma asked the prison guard as she accepted another glass of water. "Giving up my son?"

"He's not yours anymore," the guard, Bernadette, reminded Emma firmly, before her face softened a little. "But yes," she added. "You did the right thing. We all told you: the backseat of a car is no place to raise a baby. At least now, he'll be provided for. Now," Bernadette continued quickly, "Let me just get your clothes, and we'll start getting you ready to head back to your cell."

Emma nodded numbly as Bernadette left the room, locking the door as she did so.

"I'm so sorry," Emma whispered into the empty room, though Henry knew she was speaking to him. "I wanted to love you. I wanted to raise you. You me and Neal..." Emma began to cry as she covered her face with her hands once more.

"But they're right, there's no future for us," she sobbed. "There's no future with _me_."

Henry stepped closer to his crying mother, wiping his own tears away with his sleeve. Flinging his arms around his young mother, Henry tried to hug her, yet stumbled as his arms went straight through her body.

'I'm not really here,' he reminded himself. But still, his mother continued to sob, trying to muffle her crying in her hands.

"It's okay mom," he told her, not wanting to see his mother so upset. "_I'm okay_. I don't blame you for sending me away. We're together _now_. And now that Neal's alive, we can still be a family. It could happen."

But of course, young Emma couldn't hear Henry, and continued to sob as she lay on her own in the hospital bed.

"There's no future with me," she whispered, her voice had become hoarse from exhaustion. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay mom," Henry told her again as the mist slowly began to envelop the room.

"Mom?" Henry looked around in the mist. "No!" He protested angrily. "I want my mom back!"

The mist cleared rapidly and Henry was surprised to find that he was standing in his old house in Storybrooke. His mom, Regina, was pacing restlessly by the front door.

"Mom?" Henry asked, a little surprised to see her.

The doorbell rang and Regina leapt for the door, flinging it open.

"Finally!" She exclaimed.

"Good evening, Madame Mayor," Mr. Gold greeted calmly from the doorway.

"I expected you an hour ago," Regina stated.

"Apologies, Mayor Mills," Mr. Gold smiled as he revealed a baby carrier at his feet. "But your delivery was late.

Regina gasped, a smile spreading across her face as she carefully reached towards the baby, fast asleep in the carrier.

"In a moment," Mr. Gold blocked the Mayor's hand. "First: we had a deal, did we not?"

"Yes," Regina hurried over to a nearby table, where a small package and an envelope lay. She handed them both over to Mr. Gold, never taking her eyes off the baby that lay asleep at the man's feet.

"It's all there, as promised." Regina stated.

"Then you won't mind if I check?" Mr. Gold asked mildly, apparently oblivious to Regina's eagerness to reach for her new child.

Opening the envelope, Mr. Gold took out a wad of notes, counting them thoroughly before placing them back inside carefully.

"That seems to be in order," he said softly, continuing to block Regina's path to the child.

"As I said," Regina said through gritted teeth, her eyes glued to the baby.

Opening the package, Mr. Gold revealed a book with a cover gilded with silver in an intricate knot design, and a large purple stone adorning the centre.

"Exquisite," he whispered, examining the book in his hands. "This is truly a remarkable volume, Madame Mayor. A perfect piece to add to my store."

"So our deal is done, then, Mr. Gold?" Regina asked impatiently, eager to hold her child.

"It is," Mr Gold answered, handing over some paperwork and a pen. "We just need your signature, saying you're now the boy's legal guardian. Oh" he added, "and he'll need a name."

"I already have one," Regina replied eagerly, signing the papers where indicated before handing them back.

"Henry Mills," Mr. Gold noted as he scanned the forms to ensure everything was in order.

"And the birth mother?" Regina inquired nervously.

"You don't have to worry, Madam Mayor, she wants no contact," Mr. Gold assured the woman smoothly before bending down to retrieve the baby carrier at his feet.

"Now, young Henry," Mr Gold told the baby boy softly, "welcome to your new home."

Laughing slightly with Relief, Regina eagerly claimed her new son.

"Thank you, Mr. Gold," Regina told the man, completely enchanted as she gazed down at her new baby for the first time.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mayor Mills," Mr. Gold commented as he stepped off the front porch. "I wish you both happiness for the future."

Henry followed his mother as she quickly closed the front door before proudly carrying her new son upstairs to his bedroom.

Henry's eyes widened as he took in his baby room. A wooden crib stood where his normal bed would one day reside, the name 'Henry' hung on a wall, made from wooden block letters painted in bright colours, and the place was filled with toys.

His mother had clearly gone all-out on baby stuff to prepare for him arriving.

"Okay, Henry," Regina cooed as she placed the carrier carefully on the floor. "This is going to be your room." Baby Henry had started to wake up as they'd gone up the stairs and as Regina undid the straps that held him in place, he began to cry.

"Oh, sweetheart, it's okay," Regina carefully gathered her new baby boy in her arms and carried him over to a comfy looking chair that stood opposite the crib. "It's okay, mommy's here." Regina smiled as she was finally able to give herself the title of mother. "Mommy's here."

Henry watched as Regina held baby Henry close as he slowly quietened down.

"I promise, Henry," Regina whispered as she stroked her new son's head gently, "I'm going to take such good care of you. We're going to be so happy, you and I." Regina continued to gaze at her son, completely in awe of this tiny human being that she could now call her own family.

"I love you, Henry," she whispered tearfully, before giving her baby boy a kiss on his forehead.

"I love you, my son."

Henry had to wipe at his eyes as the mist began to rise up once more.

He'd missed that side of his mother. The woman who had taught him how to ride a bike, took care of him when he was sick and used to make a cake for him on his birthday.

He hadn't seen that side of her for a while...It had been nice to see that again.

Henry froze as he realised something.

He had seen Emma when he had thought 'I want to see my mom'. So he had seen his birth mother, at the very moment she had become a mom: when he was born.

'I want my mom back' was what he had yelled before seeing Regina, the moment she became his adoptive mother: when she gave her final signature and gave him his name. He had also seen the side of his mother that he truly did want back. Not her 'Evil Queen' side, just: 'Regina Mills, mom to Henry Mills.'

"I can control what I see here," Henry whispered, looking at the mist surrounding him in a new light.

"Okay," Henry nodded, thinking he should try and experiment with this. "I want to see...my dad- No wait!" He added as the mist had begun to disappear rapidly.

Slowly, the mist began to full his vision once again.

"I should really be more specific," he thought aloud. Otherwise, who knows what he would see?

"I want to see..." Henry thought quickly. "How my birth parents first met."

Almost instantly, Henry found himself sitting in the backseat of a car, and felt surprised as he realised he was sitting in his mom's yellow bug.

Turning, Henry started slightly as he found a younger version of his father, curled up on the backseat with him, fast asleep as the morning sunlight floated through the car windows.

Busy watching his father sleep, both Henry and Neal started at the sound of a click.

Looking up, Henry felt his jaw drop as he realised a teenage Emma was actually _breaking into the car._

Emma had told Henry that _his dad_ used to be a thief, but she never mentioned that she had been one too. 'Although, mom does know how to pick locks,' Henry reminded himself. 'I shouldn't be too surprised.'

Neal was fully awake now, but rather than object to someone breaking into his car, he stayed quiet, seemingly fascinated by this girl as he watched her start up the engine and begin driving off.

"Impressive," Neal commented sitting up, and Henry quickly stifled a laugh as Emma let out a  
shocked gasp. "But you could've just asked me for the keys," Neal grinned as he held the keys up.

Henry grinned as well, remembering all the times he'd surprised Emma by hiding in the back seat.

'I guess I'm more like my dad than I thought,' Henry surmised studying his young father's face as he stared at Emma and Henry's smile grew wider as he thought his young father definitely looked a little love-struck.

"So do you just live in here, or were you just waiting for the car to be stolen?" Teenage Emma asked from the front seat as they drove along the street.

"Why don't I tell you over drinks?" Neal suggested and Henry had to stifle another laugh as Emma was so shocked she drove through a stop sign. Moments later, police lights were flashing in the mirrors and Emma was forced to pull over.

Henry cringed along with his father, how were they going to get out of this?

Neal provided the answer by replacing the screwdriver in the ignition with his car keys and pretending that he was teaching his 'girlfriend' how to drive a stick-shift.

Henry had to admit, his dad was good at improvising. He was even more impressed when the police officer bought the story.

As the officer walked away, Henry gasped with shock as his father actually moved _through_ him, in order to climb into the passenger seat next to his teenage mom.

"Go, we got lucky," Neal told Emma, who froze.

"We?" She repeated.

Henry had caught that too, and reminded himself that his dad had been a thief.

"I stole a stolen car," Emma realised quietly.

Neal simply smiled cockily.

"Now, how about that drink?" He asked smoothly.

Henry laughed silently, covering his face with his hands, despite the fact that he clearly didn't have to worry about anyone hearing him.

"Oh, my God," he sighed as he caught his breath. How cool was _that_?

"Hey," he objected as, looking up, Henry realised that the mist had risen up again.

"But I can control what I see," Henry reminded himself, feeling a smile tug at his mouth.

"Okay, what do I want to see next?" He asked himself, thinking.

~..~..~..~..

Neal felt himself struggling to breathe as he stared at the scene before him.

'Not again,' he thought to himself as, once more, he had to watch as his own father let him fall into that swirling pit of a portal, choosing magic over his own son.

But for the first time, he was able to watch as the portal closed, leaving his father alone on the forest floor.

"Bae?" He called. "Bae!"

Neal watched as his father began scrabbling in the dirt, trying fruitlessly to reconnect with the portal once more.

"I'm sorry Bae!" Rumple pleaded. "I want to come with you! I want to come with you Bae!"

As the mist rose up, Neal had to sit down, clutching his still-healing side as tears ran down his face.

It had hurt just as much as every other time he'd seen it.

But to see his father desperately trying to follow straight afterward confirmed what his father had told him earlier during his 'dreamscape': he'd wanted to follow as soon as he'd realised what he'd done.

Neal sighed, closing his eyes. It still didn't change the fact that he'd grown up alone.

And now he was back here, in the one place, bar the EnchantedForest, that he didn't want to be, going on a trip down memory lane.

Opening his eyes, Neal realised that the mist had cleared once more, and he realised that he was

standing in the middle of a dark forest as his father stepped cautiously through the trees.

This was new, he thought, frowning slightly. As he was growing up in Neverland, all he had ever relived was the scene over the pit.

"Reul Ghorm!" Rumplestiltskin called. "Show yourself!"

The Blue Fairy appeared, fluttering down into The Dark One's line of sight.

"How do I follow him?" Rumple asked.

"You had the way, you didn't take it," The Blue Fairy replied. "And there are no more magic beans."

"That's a lie!" Rumple accused.

"We don't do that," The Blue Fairy spat.

"A lie!" Rumple insisted.

The Blue Fairy's expression was almost pitying. "You will never make it to that world," she told him.

"Oh, I'll find some way," Rumple assured the fairy. "There must be other paths: A realm jumper?"

"No," The Blue fairy replied flatly.

"A time tunnel?"

"No!"

"A mage?"

"There is no-"

"A curse?"

"...oh," the fairy stopped mid-sentence in surprise.

"Ah!" Rumple cheered in triumph. "So there is a curse," he smiled.

"Of course, you would think of a curse instead of a blessing," The Blue Fairy hissed. "Your magic is limited by its own _rotten core_, Rumplestiltskin. Anyway, it can't be done," The Blue fairy continued. "Not at a great price."

"I've already paid a great price," Rumple informed her, completely nonplussed.

"So you'd be willing to sacrifice this world for the next?" The Blue Fairy prompted. "Because _that's_ how great the price is."

Neal watched as his father simply smiled.

"What do you think?" He asked.

"Well then I'll comfort myself, knowing that such a curse is beyond your ability," The Blue Fairy commented, though she did appear shaken at the man's determination.

"Oh, for now," Rumple agreed. "But I have _all the time in the world_. I will do _nothing else_," Rumple vowed. "I will _love _nothing else. _I will find a way_."

Neal stood numbly as the mist crept back over the forest, reclaiming this moment in time.

Lost in thought, he didn't even realise that the mist had cleared, revealing a new scene, until he

looked up to see he was sitting beside Emma as she sat at Granny's, a cup of hot cocoa on the table.

Regina approached the table.

"How was your walk with Henry?" The Mayor asked pointedly. "That's right: I know everything," she added as she sat down. "But I don't mind."

"You don't?" Emma asked, confused.

"No," Regina answered calmly. "Because you no longer worry me, Miss Swan. Because I've been doing some digging into who you are, and what I found out was quite soothing. It all comes down to the number seven."

"Seven?" Emma repeated.

"It's the number of addresses you've had in the last decade. The longest in anywhere was two years. Really," Regina seems genuinely puzzled, "what did you enjoy so much about Tallahassee?"

Neal felt himself gasp as Emma and Regina continued their silent battle beneath the polite conversation.

_Tallahassee..._

Neal brought his hands to his mouth, pressing his fingers against his lips to stop the flood of apologies that wanted to spill.

He'd purposefully stayed away from Tallahassee over the years. That was a place he had wanted to share with _Emma_, not on his own, and certainly not with anyone else.

_But Emma had been looking for him? Had she gone to Tallahassee, hoping to find him there?_

"You don't know me," Emma was telling Regina calmly, but Neal could see the tension building up in her shoulders...behind her eyes...

"Actually, I think I do," Regina said arrogantly. "All I ask is that while you carry on your transient life: You think about Henry and what's best for him. Perhaps consider a clean break. It's going to happen anyway." Regina's voice was soft but threatening. "Enjoy your cocoa."

The Mist rose up once more as Regina got up to leave, leaving Neal surrounded by white.

"Emma," he whispered sadly. That one word was all that had time to leave his lips before the mist dissipated once more.

He was standing beside Emma as she stood on a doorstep, facing a young man.

"I'm looking for Ashley," she was telling him. "She's in trouble. Just thought maybe she'd come to see you."

"My son has nothing to do with that girl anymore," an older man Neal assumed to be the teenager's dad, answered as he came up the driveway to the door. "As for the trouble she's in, I am sorry, but there is nothing we can do about it."

"You're the reason he broke up with her," Emma surmised, glancing at the guy in the doorway.

"Absolutely," the older man answered. "I'm not letting my son ruin his life over a mistake."

"So you just told him to leave her?" Emma asked indignantly.

"Well, what were they going to do: Raise the child in the back seat of a car?"

"Some people only have a backseat of a car!" Emma stated defensively.

"Well, they are to be pitied," The older man said carelessly. "I'm not letting that happen to my son."

"Dad," the teenager interjected as his father passed him to go inside. "Maybe we should help her look."

"It's a waste, son," his father told him firmly.

"Sean," Emma whispered. "If you want to come, come. Don't let anybody make your decisions for you."

"Look," Sean's dad began, folding his arms across his chest. "Believe me, if I knew where she was, I would tell you. I went to a lot of trouble to get her that deal."

Neal's head shot up.

"Deal?" Emma asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't know?" The older man queried. "Ashley agreed to give up the child. And she's being paid very well to do so."

Emma's eyes widened.

"She sold the baby?" She whispered, her voice going up an octave in shock.

"Oh you make it sound so crass," Sean's dad said in exasperation. "I found someone who's going to find that child a good and proper home."

"And who are you to decide whether Ashley is capable of providing that?" Emma demanded.

"Look at her," Sean's dad said dismissively. "She's never shown any evidence of being responsible, how could she possibly know how to be a mother?"

"Maybe she's changing her life." Emma suggested, and Neal could swear that Emma was thinking about herself as she answered.

"Everyone says that," the older man's voice was patronising. "Now look: I've found someone who's going to pay Ashley extremely well. Someone who'll make sure that everyone is happy."

Emma swallowed.

"Mr. Gold," she whispered, and Neal frowned as he recognised his father's 'Storybrooke name'.

"Isn't that why you were hired?" The older man asked Emma. "To bring him the baby?"

Neal felt himself shaking, and it took a moment for him to realise why that was.

These two, Sean and Ashley...their story was so similar to him and Emma.

Young, having a baby, but didn't have enough money or a place to truly call home in order to raise it.

Only the backseat of a car...

Neal closed his eyes. Sean's dad was like August: saying it would be better for everyone involved for the couple to separate and the child be given away to a new home. So that everyone could be happy...

It didn't work out that way for him and Emma, and Neal hoped that Sean and Ashley's story would have a better ending.

Opening his eyes, Neal realised that the scene had changed, and he hadn't realised it.

He was sitting in the backseat of the bug, Emma and Henry in the front seat.

"You can't make her double-cross Gold," Henry was saying. "No one's ever broken a deal with him." Neal wondered if he should be surprised that they were talking about his father, even though this was clearly before the curse broke.

"Happy to be the first," Emma said determinedly. "If Ashley was to have this baby, she should have it. Anyone who wants to be a mother should damn well be allowed to be one," she added, almost her herself, as the mist enveloped her again.

Almost instantly, Neal found himself sitting beside Emma again, this time he was in the passenger seat of the yellow bug as she drove down Storybrooke's main street.

"What'd she tell you?" A voice piped up.

Both Neal and Emma started, and Neal looked over his shoulder to see Henry, who had been hiding in the backseat.

"Henry!" Emma exclaimed in shock. "_What the Hell_?"

Neal couldn't resist the grin spreading over his face.

"The kid's a chip of the old block," he commented, before turning to Emma. "You're still falling for that trick?" He asked her rhetorically as Henry gave a pretty good argument to justify him coming with Emma to help this girl, Ashley.

The mist rose up again and Neal soon found himself beside Henry in the backseat of the bug, as Emma drove. A pregnant girl, who Neal assumed to be Ashley, was sitting in the passenger seat, clearly in the middle of labour.

"Is the baby really coming?" Henry was asking, almost in a panic.

"Oh, yeah," Emma commented drily. "Don't worry, the hospital isn't that far."

"No," Ashley protested. "No, take me to Boston, I can't go back there."

"We don't have four hours, trust me," Emma told her. "I know."

"I can't go back there, please," Ashley begged as she began to sob. "They're going to take my baby."

"I won't let that happen," Emma said firmly. "But do you know what you're asking for? If you keep this child are you really ready?"

"Yeah," Ashley replied.

"Are you sure?" Emma pressed, "because I wasn't."

Everyone in the car, including Neal, turned their eyes on Emma.

"You weren't?" Ashley asked.

"No," Emma answered quietly. "But if you want to give this kid its best chance, it has to be with someone who's ready, so know what that means. Your whole life is gonna change and once you decide that it's yours, running away is _not_ an option. You have to _grow up_. You _can't_ _ever leave_. You understand?"

Ashley nodded. So did Neal.

"Yes," she said firmly. "_I want my baby_."

The mist obscured Neal's vision and he was soon standing in a hospital waiting room. Henry sat in a seat nearby as Emma paced restlessly.

"You know Emma," Henry began thoughtfully. "You're the only one who can do it."

"Break the curse?" Emma asked distractedly. "Yes, I know: You keep telling me."

"No. Leave." Henry clarified slowly. "You're the only one who can leave Storybrooke."

"Emma paused in the pacing.

"You came to Boston and found me," she told her son.

"I had to. I'm ten, I didn't have a choice," Henry replied, a note of worry edging into his voice as Emma crouched down to meet her son's gaze. "But you're the Saviour. You can do anything you want. You can _go_."

The mist swirled and Neal soon stood in the same hospital reception area, watching his father fill a cup with vending machine coffee.

"A baby?" Emma was asking the man. "That's your merchandise? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well because, at the time, you didn't need to know," Mr. Gold answered evasively.

"Really? Or you thought I wouldn't take the job?" Emma pressed.

"On the contrary," Mr. Gold answered smoothly. "I thought it would be more effective if you found out yourself. After seeing Ashley's hard life," Rumple continued calmly, "I thought it would make sense...to you. I mean," Gold continued, "I figured if anyone could understand the reasons behind giving up a baby, I assumed it would be you."

Neal watched as Emma's face became more determined.

"You're not getting that kid," she whispered.

"Actually," Gold corrected. "We have an agreement. And my agreements are always honoured. If not: that baby is going to end up in the system. And that would be a pity. You didn't enjoy your time in the system, did you, Emma?"

Neal shook his head in disgust as he watched his father. What kind of game was he playing now?

"You know, no jury in the world would put a woman in jail whose only reason for breaking and entering was to keep her child." Emma stated slowly. "I'm willing to roll the dice that contract doesn't stand up."

Gold paused, lowering his coffee cup thoughtfully.

"Are you?" Emma asked, smiling slightly as she caught the man's hesitance.

"Not to mention what's gonna come out about you in the process," the woman continued. "Somehow I suspect, that there is more to you than a simple pawn broker. You really wanna start that fight?"

Gold regarded the woman before him, and Neal knew his father well enough to notice that he seemed impressed.

"I like you Miss Swan," he told Emma, smiling slightly. "You're not afraid of me. That's either cocky or presumptuous, either way: I'd rather have you on my side."

"So she can keep the baby?" Emma put forward.

"Not just yet," Gold stated firmly.

Neal frowned. What was his father doing? He'd told Neal that he'd come to Storybrooke to find him, so what did he want with Ashley's baby? Where did _that_ fit into the equation?

Realisation hit as he turned his gaze back to Emma's determined expression.

'He has no interest in the baby', Neal realised. 'He's using it as a way to get something from _Emma_.'

"I put it to you now," Gold stepped towards Emma slightly. "If you want Ashley to have that baby, are you willing to make a deal with me?"

"What do you want?" Emma asked.

Gold smiled, smugly. "Oh, I don't know just yet," he said softly. "You'll owe me a favour."

Slowly, Emma stepped forward, extending a hand.

"Deal," she agreed.

Neal bowed his head as the mist rose up once again. So, this was the deal that Emma mentioned in New York, huh? She helped Ashley keep her baby and in exchange, his father had coerced her into helping to find him in New York.

Rumplestiltskin really was still a spinner. A weaver. His father had woven every thread, from the moment he had fallen through that portal as a boy, right down to Emma's favour, in order to find him.

Neal swallowed as his throat tightened up. His father had _certainly_ been committed.

The mist rose up again and Neal found himself standing beside the bug as Henry got out of the car to run into his house.

"Henry?"

The boy turned at the gate to see his birth mother leaning to speak with him out of the car window.

"About what you said at the hospital, about me being able to leave?"

"Yeah," Henry replied warily.

Emma smiled.

"See you tomorrow," she told him.

Grinning, Henry turned and ran back into his house.

The mist rose up again, and Neal had to sit down as the mist swirled around him.

Emma had gone through so much...

She had gone looking for him in Tallahassee.

And then what? Travelled around, trying to find some place to call home, because she'd lost her chance of having a home with him?

Neal buried his head in his hands. He'd never be able to make up for all those years he'd lost.

They could've raised Henry together...Like Ashley and Sean were now free to do.

Emma had mentioned that anyone who wanted to be a mother should be allowed to be one. Had that meant that she hadn't wanted to give Henry up? Had she wanted to keep her baby, but someone else talked her out of it?

Neal froze as an idea struck him.

Had August known about Henry? Was that why he had asked Neal not to try and contact Emma? Did he know that, if Neal found out about Henry, that he wouldn't have left?

Neal clutched at his hair, trying to sort through the thoughts, feelings and theories that swirled through him like the mist that surrounded him.

He'd seen Emma make her decision to stay for Henry. He had seen her make the decision that he was hers.

And Neal had made a decision too.

He was going to find his son. He was going to find Emma...

And he would never leave them again.

Neal stood up, wincing slightly as his side protested.

As for his father... Neal sighed, still not knowing what to do about him.

His father had let him go. But, Neal had to admit, he'd been telling the truth when he'd said that he'd been trying to find a way to reach him ever since.

Even if it had meant destroying the Enchanted Forest and who knows how many other lives in order to get to Storybrooke.

Neal covered his face. But then there was that phone call he'd had with Belle... _before_ her memory went from absent to screwed up.

He said that he wanted to be the best version of himself...

And now, he was risking his life and his sanity in order to save Henry from Peter Pan.

Neal took a breath. He couldn't deny the fact that he had always wanted his father back.

And if he survived the dreamscape and gave Peter Pan his power, he wouldn't be the Dark One anymore...

Was there still a chance the father he loved was still there?

He didn't know.

But now that Neal knew he was a father himself, he wasn't going to let his family go.

~..~..~..~..

Rumple was not in Neverland anymore.

He was walking along a long corridor made of smooth stone, lit up by the flames of the many torches that were spread intermittently, between the doors.

"Your Dreamscape has truly begun now, Rumplestiltskin."

Rumple turned in surprise as Peter Pan's voice echoed through the corridor, as if the voice emanated from the very stone.

"Where am I, Pan?" Rumple asked, and it was only then that he wondered. If his dreamscape had only truly begun _now_...how had he been able to speak with his son?

Back in the room where Rumple's body lay in his cursed sleep, Peter Pan smiled into his scrying bowl as he saw the realisation dawn on the Dark One's face.

"My son..." he whispered.

"Yes," Peter grinned. He was enjoying this game. "It's a shame your spirit didn't stay with Henry or Bae long enough for you to hear them tell you that your son was alive...still," Peter added carelessly, "I suppose that gives you more motivation to get out, making a more entertaining show for me."

"You knew?" Rumple whispered.

"Oh, come now, Rumplestiltskin," Pan put forward calmly. "You didn't expect me to give away such an important part of the game so easily, did you? Besides," he added. "Contrary to what some may believe, I know _everything_ that happens on this island." The ancient boy smiled. "And I also know _everywhere_ my fairies go."

Rumple collapsed onto the floor of the stone corridor, completely overwhelmed.

"Bae's alive," he whispered.

"And I know exactly where your grandson and his family are," Peter Pan reminded the Dark One. "But I do love a good game of 'hide and seek'. However," he continued, "if you want to make sure that our deal can be upheld, you need to get through this dreamscape. Or else, I'll turn the game into 'search and destroy'."

Rumple got to his feet, fresh determination filling him. He'd spent centuries searching for his son, giving up so much of himself and the things he wanted to fuel his cause. He wasn't about to let it all go now.

"How does this work?" He asked.

"Well," Peter Pan mused. "A dreamscape is all about confronting your past and finding out who you essentially are. So with that in mind..."

Rumple started slightly as the walls of the corridor seemed to whiz by, or was it the floor that was moving? Either way, the doors and torches became a blur, the light becoming dimmer and dimmer until the motion suddenly stopped.

Rumple had to admit that the effect had been dizzying and he glanced around to find that, while he was still in the same corridor, the doorways he could see were covered in cobwebs, the metal hinges rusted. The torches were either broken or flickering weakly, the faint glow barely lighting the corridor, where the stone was centuries-old and cracked in many places.

"Let's start at the beginning, shall we?" Pan finished. "After all," Pan continued, and Rumple turned as a door on his left slowly began to creak open. "It is childhood that has the most influence, don't you find?"

Gathering as much courage as he could, Rumple reached out a hand and pushed the door completely open, stepping through it to face his past once more.

Rumple stared around the room he found himself in. He was in a humble, but cosy, wooden cabin, filled with the smell of wood-smoke and pines. A large fire burned in the stone hearth, filling the place with warmth.

A movement caught his eye, and Rumple turned to see a man pacing restlessly.

"No choice," the man mumbled, lost in thought as he moved. "I've got no choice."

Rumple felt himself shrink back with shock, although, to be honest, he had recognised this place as soon as he had entered. He just hadn't wanted to believe that he was back here.

"Father?"

The man stopped his pacing and looked up as a ten year old boy walked in to the room.

"Rumple," the man greeted distractedly. "What are you doing up, son?"

"I couldn't sleep," Rumple watched as his ten-year-old self stepped into the room. "I'm worried about you. You haven't stopped pacing since you came home earlier and you barely ate any dinner. Is something wrong, Papa?"

"No," the man answered nervously. "No, of course not. I, uh...I just need to clear my head. I think I'll take a walk outside for a bit, maybe get some water."

"It's the middle of the night," ten-year-old-Rumplestilstskin looked at his father with concern. "And it's freezing."

"I'll be fine, son," Rumple watched as his father fastened a cloak around his shoulders. Hesitating at the door, the man suddenly turned and hugged his young son.

"I love you, son," he told the boy. "You go on back to bed now."

Turning, the man opened the door and went out into the night.

Rumple gazed sadly as his ten year old self remained where he was, staring at the door.

"If you went to get water," young Rumple whispered, thinking aloud, "then why didn't you take a bucket?"

Rumple watched helplessly as his young self pulled on his boots and grabbed his own cloak before following his father out into the night.

"No," Rumple whispered, following the boy outside. "Come back inside, Rumple!" He called. "Don't watch!"

But of course, this was a memory, and so Rumple was forced to follow his ten year old self as he dogged after his father, staying out of sight in the shadows as his father walked straight past the village well and towards the boundary of the town.

Rumple kept close to his child-self, wishing he could find a way to have the boy turn back and go home. Not that it would change the outcome, of course, but there were some things that no child should ever have to see.

Rumple's father was almost at the forest edge and had just broken into a jog, when a man raced out from behind a tree blindsiding him with a tackle.

"Bagdemagus!" A second man greeted as Rumple's father was hauled to his feet by his assailant. "What brings you out to the edge of the village at this time of night?"

Ten year old Rumple ducked behind a tree, out of sight, watching the scene before him with wide eyes.

"Good evening, Caddaham," Rumple's father, Bagdemagus greeted nervously, glancing around as three more men arrived and his assailant held his wrists tightly behind his back. "I was just, uh...getting some fresh air." He swallowed. "Could you tell Fardoragh to let me go?"

Caddaham raised his eyebrows.

"Getting some fresh air?" The man repeated. "Well, that's a relief. And here I was, thinking that you were trying to sneak out of town before settling that debt you owe me, Magus."

Rumple watched as his father became surrounded on all sides.

"O-of course I'm going to pay you back, Caddaham," Magus answered, licking his lips as his eyes continued to dart around, searching for escape. "I just-"

"Just what?" Caddaham asked feigning curiosity.

"I just don't have the money right now," Bagdemagus admitted, his voice shaking.

Caddaham sighed.

"Well, you know what I do to people who try to cheat me," he told his captive reasonably before surging forward and stabbing him in the chest.

"No!"

The men turned as a boy suddenly ran towards the group.

"Papa!" Young Rumple cried out, sobbing as he ran towards his father, who lay on the ground, blood pouring from the deep stab wound in his chest.

"Grab him!" Caddaham ordered and the two men closest to the boy grabbed each of his arms and held him fast.

Rumple brought his hands to his moth in horror as, once again, he was forced to watch his father die before him.

"So you're Magus' son," Caddaham greeted the boy nonchalantly.

"You murderer!" Young Rumple screamed in his grief, struggling fruitlessly against his captors.

"Yes, well, he was in great debt to me," Caddaham explained to the ten year old, "and he couldn't pay me back." The man shrugged. "So he paid with his life."

"You took my father away, for money?" Young Rumple clarified numbly, his eyes still on his father, willing his now glassy eyes to regain their spark of life. "And how will you get your money, now that he's dead?"

"Well," Caddaham smiled slightly. "The beauty about all this is: now that Magus is dead, his land is restored to the Magistrate. And I'm the magistrate." Young Rumple's eyes widened with realisation as the men around him began to chuckle.

"What?" He asked, hoping it wasn't as he feared.

"I think your house and land should cover the debt your father owed me," Caddaham took the child by the arm and began leading him back to the village. Young Rumple went along, his legs moving automatically as he tried to process what was happening to him.

"But-" the boy stammered, tears trailing down his face once more as he realised he was now homeless and alone. "What about me?" He asked. "I have nowhere to go. Do you expect me to live on the streets?"

"Oh no," Caddaham assured young Rumplestiltskin as he led him to a house on the outskirts of the village. "You have done no wrong to me, boy. Rest assured, you won't have to starve."

Pounding on the door, Caddaham waited until a woman with dark hair streaked with grey opened the door, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Rather late, isn't it Magistrate?" The woman asked mildly once she recognised who was standing at her door. "I told you, the Duke's tapestry will be ready in two days."

"Oh, I'm not here for the tapestry," Caddaham announced, pushing the boy forward. "This poor soul has just lost the only family he had left. I thought that a life learning a trade from you would be better than life on the streets." Caddaham smiled. "Surely such kindly souls as those that live in your house, Penelope, would not let an orphaned boy starve?"

The woman, Penelope, looked down at young Rumple's tear-streaked face.

"Of course not, Magistrate," she replied slowly.

Rumple clenched his fists as he watched Caddaham shove his ten year old self into the woman's waiting arms.

"Come now, don't give me that look," Caddaham told young Rumple, who was glaring at him vehemently, his throat too tight to scream into the man's cold face as he wished to. "I'm doing you a favour, boy. Think of this as an opportunity to learn a trade and stand on your own two feet, rather than inherit a large debt from your coward of a father, who would rather run and abandon his own son, then face his mistakes."

As Caddaham and his men left, laughing, Penelope gripped the boy's shoulder in concern. Living in the furthest house in the village, she and her women knew what often happened at the edge of the forest.

"Come on, dearie," she said soothingly to the poor boy whose life had changed in one night. "I'll make you a cup of tea and then we'll find you a bed."

Rumple couldn't take his eyes of his younger self as Penelope closed the door.

However, as the door to the Spinner's House shut with a click, Rumple felt himself stumbling back into the Dreamscape corridor.

"Well well," Peter Pan commented as Rumple knelt on the floor, clenching his fists as he tried to get a handle on all the emotions swirling through him. "That certainly explains a lot about you, Dark One." Peter Pan's laughter echoed throughout the dark corridor representing the deepest recesses of Rumplestiltskin's memories.

"Now, come on, get up," Pan encouraged eagerly. "Time for the next round."

The walls moved again, as Rumple stood up slowly. This part of the corridor was in slightly better shape: no cracks, though cobwebs still clung to a couple of the doorframes.

"Where are we going now?" Rumple asked as the door in front of him cracked open slightly.

"Walk through and see for yourself," Pan invited.

Taking a deep breath, Rumple pushed the door open and found himself...

Home?

Rumple gazed around the room, taking in the familiar walls. This was the house he had lived in with Milah and Baelfire...

Rumple swallowed. He had a feeling this memory would be just as hard as the last one.

Turning, Rumple saw himself sitting beside the fireplace, sewing.

Milah walked in through the front door, carrying two baskets. One was filled with vegetables from the market, the other, their baby son.

"Milah," Past Rumple greeted warmly, hope still in his voice. "How was the market, sweetheart?"

"As it normally is," Milah answered shortly, placing the two baskets on the table. "Baelfire loved his trip to the market," she continued as she unpacked the groceries, her demeanour softening as she turned her eyes onto their young son. "He actually helped me pick out the vegetables."

"Really?" Rumplestilskin asked with interest, using his stick to stand in order to peruse the selection. "Well, it looks like you made some fine choices, son," he smiled.

Milah avoided his eyes as she put the groceries away. Sighing, Past Rumple sat at the table to lift his son out of the basket.

"Hey, son," Past Rumple greeted softly. "Guess what? I'm making you your first birthday present. It's almost finished," he told him proudly. "I hope you'll like it."

Past Rumple smiled as baby Baelfire gurgled contently in his arms.

Rumple watched himself smiling at his baby son, mentally preparing himself...

"A good present for him would be to have a decent father," Milah commented resentfully.

Past Rumple closed his eyes as if flinching from an attack.

"I'm here, in Bae's life," Past Rumple told his wife softly. "Doesn't that make me a better father than those who became nothing more than casualties of the Ogre's war?"

"Better to die with honour than to live as a coward," Milah spat as she opened the shopping basket once more, only to find it empty.

Closing her eyes in a silent plea for patience, Milah let out a breath.

"I forgot the turnips," she muttered reaching for her shawl.

"You've only just got back," Rumple said quickly. "Stay here and rest, dear. I'll go get them,"

"Fine," Milah muttered in agreement as she sat down to feed her son.

Rumple followed his past self as he walked to the market, who had to move out of the way for the soldiers riding through on horseback, heading to the front lines. The numbers needed at the front had become so desperate that the Duke had ordered women be recruited for the army as well as men. Milah had not been recruited to join, for which Rumple was thankful. To him, this was another reason that his returning had been the best course of action, for if he hadn't, his wife may have been forced to join the army.

Following his past self, Rumple was able to clearly see all the stares, pointing fingers and whispered words behind hands as 'the town coward' limped his way through the throngs of people to the vegetable stalls. And while people called out greetings to those around him, it was as if Rumplestiltskin had become invisible; A blight on the town, which the people didn't wish to see.

Watching from the outside, allowed Rumple to see them before his past self did.

And, just like in the memory with his father, he couldn't do anything about it.

"Let go of me!" A woman's voice cut through the market and Rumple felt himself shaking as his past self raised his eyes to view a woman, about ten years his senior being dragged by two soldiers towards a waiting horse.

"Soldiers are needed," the commander told the woman firmly. "By the Duke's orders. And as you are a spinster, you must do your part to contribute to your town."

"I do contribute!" The woman argued, jerking herself free and dusting off the blue dress she wore. "I was trained by Penelope, the greatest weaver in our town! I helped to make the very uniforms your armies wear!"

"Well then," the commanding officer jeered, "now's your chance to wear your own work."

Rumple watched as his past self made his way over to the argument, wishing fervently that he stay put.

"Samantha?" Past Rumple queried as he approached.

"Rumple," Samantha greeted the man who was once the boy she had helped raise in the Spinner's house when she was twenty.

"Oh, what's this?" The commander asked, laughing softly. "The town coward come to save another coward?" He turned to Samantha threateningly. "As you have no dependants, _spinster_, you will do your duty as a soldier. Numbers are needed."

"Numbers will not make a difference," Past Rumple spoke up. "Everyone you send in will die. And then what will the Duke do, once all the adults are dead? Send in children?"

"Spoken like a true coward," the commander sneered. "Run home, Rumplestiltskin. You have no power here."

"I returned home to be with my son, risking derision and ostracism." Rumple Put forward carefully. "Some would consider that a brave thing: to risk your reputation for another person."

Past Rumple gripped his staff more tightly.

"Now, I may not have the full use of my body anymore," he granted, "but I still have my voice. And I am telling you, no woman should have to see the horrors of war. Samantha's skills would be more useful off the battlefield than on it."

The commander laughed mockingly.

"And what would you know of the horrors of war, coward?" He jeered, shoving Rumplestiltskin so hard the man fell over.

"Don't worry about me, Rumple," Samantha said quickly, her eyes darting fearfully to the commander. "I'll be fine."

"You see?" the commander asked of the men on horses behind him, who began to laugh. "Even this spinster can't bear the thought of being saved by the town _coward_. Although," he added as Rumple got back on his feet. "If it is only the town coward who is willing to stand up for her, she probably wouldn't make much of a soldier anyway."

"Samantha isn't a soldier," Rumple tried once more to spare the life of one of the few people in the town he still considered a friend. "Please sir: Don't send her to the front line."

The commander actually seemed to be considering as he studied the woman in the blue dress beside him.

"You know, you do have a point," he admitted. "She wouldn't make a good soldier."

Past Rumple's eyes began to brighten with hope. Had he just spared his friend's life?

"But, as a spinster, she's not likely to have any children," the commander continued as he unsheathed the dagger at his belt. "So, she's really no use to this town at all."

Thrusting forward, the commander drove the dagger deep into the woman's torso.

"Samantha!" Rumple cried out, horrified as he gathered his friend in his arms.

"Congratulations, Coward," The commander smirked as he cleaned his dagger on Samantha's dress. "You got your wish: This woman shall never see the horrors of war. And now," he added cruelly "you will have more work, which means more money for the son you abandoned your duty for. Come on," he called to his men as he mounted his horse. "We have more worthy soldiers to recruit for our army."

As the soldiers rode off, Rumple had to watch as his past self cradled Samantha as she slowly bled.

"I really did want to have children one day," she whispered as Rumple tried to offer what comfort he could.

"I know you did, dearie," he whispered, using the term of endearment that Penelope had always used for those living in her house.

"I wanted to make them toys from my old clothes," Samantha continued, one hand clutching at the skirt of her dress. "I wanted to watch them play."

"You would have made a wonderful mother," Rumple told her. "You certainly did a good job raising me. You all did."

Samantha smiled, the light from her eyes fading fast.

"You take care of your son, Rumple," she whispered. "I'll say hi to Penelope for you..."

Slowly, Samantha's body went limp and Rumple finally looked up to see that a small crowd had gathered.

"The town coward's caused someone else's death, now," someone muttered and past Rumple flinched.

"Does she have any immediate family we need to tell?" Another asked.

Rumple shook his head.

"No," he answered shakily. "She had no one."

Returning home later, Rumple was quiet as he continued his work by the fire. That night, as he put his baby boy to bed, Rumple took a seat by his crib.

"I finished your birthday present, son," he whispered. "I wanted to give it to you early, so you'll wake up on your birthday and see it."

Reaching in, Rumple carefully placed the small doll that he had made beside his son. The doll wore a blue jacket, made from a piece of Samantha's dress that Rumple had managed to get before her body was carted away.

Samantha may not have been able to watch her own children play, but Rumple had wanted at least a piece of her dream to come true.

Sobbing, Rumple fell to the ground, and realised that he was back in the dreamscape corridor.

"Wow," Peter Pan sounded amused as Rumple took out the small doll that still remained in his pocket. "So that's where that doll came from, huh? When one of my fairies brought that to me, I knew it held a lot of meaning for you, but I never would have guessed it held this much."

The ancient boy actually began to laugh as Rumple buried his face in his hands.

"Your last keepsake of your friend turned into your first gift for your son: brilliant!" Pan crowed. "And she was killed _because_ you tried to save her life!" He continued, his laughter reverberating along the walls of the corridor. "Only you could do _that_, Rumplestiltskin!"

"Stop it," Rumple mumbled, choking on his tears.

"Oh no," Rumple could hear the anticipation in Peter Pan's voice. "You knew this game of Memory wasn't going to be easy, didn't you, Dark One? You asked for this: Now get up."

Rumple could feel his body shaking with emotion as he slowly got to his feet. He could understand now, why it was said that those who undertook a Dreamscape using the potion of Haunted Souls emerged utterly insane.

"We still have three hundred years worth of memories to revisit," Peter Pan announced eagerly. "And I, for one, and looking forward to the show."

~..~..~..~..

Hook gazed into the mist surrounding him, waiting…

He had been ashore on Neverland before, of course, so he knew what to expect.

And he knew that tonight would be a long night.

The pirate captain braced himself as the mist began to clear. What would it show him tonight?

Hook found himself standing on a dock in a bustling harbour, sailors were calling out to each other, and trunks were being loaded as the various ships prepared to sail on the next high tide.

Hook swallowed, searching through the various people for those who he knew would be on the scene.

And there, walking alongside a ship named 'The Spanish Lady'as their belongings were being loaded on board, Hook spotted them.

The boy was gazing with awe up at the ship, asking the sailors questions about everything from: "Why is this rope tied differently to that rope?" to: "Have you ever seen a giant squid eat a ship"

The man seemed just as eager to leave, but the fact he was continually scanning the shore implied if was for reasons other than the promise of adventure.

"Killian," the man called and the boy looked up from a knot he was learning to tie to run forward.

"Look, Father," The boy showed of his work proudly. "Billy's teaching me to tie sailing knots."

"Good work," the man smiled distractedly. "Listen, son," he knelt down to look young Killian in the eye. "The captain has told me that the next high tide isn't until this evening, so we won't be able to get under way."

"Can I spend the day on the ship?" Killian asked his father excitedly, wanting to explore the vessel that would be their home.

Killian's father smiled. "I thought you might say that, boy-o," he said, ruffling his son's hair fondly.

Hook watched as his ten year old self climbed aboard the ship eagerly before watching his father as he walked up the dock and onto the shore.

Climbing aboard the ship, Hook watched as his ten year old self eagerly ducked in and out of the sailors as they moved about the deck to head down below.

Not looking where he was going, young Killian bumped into two men who were deep in hushed conversation.

"Watch where you're going, boy!" One of the men reprimanded, as he straightened his officer's jacket.

"Come now, my dear Officer," the second man, who Killian recognised as the ship's captain, Captain Smollett, "I'm sure the boy meant no harm."

Killian smiled. "My apologies, sir," he told the officer. "But this is my first time aboard a ship and I wanted to explore it before we set sail."

"Indeed," The officer eyed the boy suspiciously. "And what's your name, boy?"

"Killian Jones."

The officer's eyes widened as he regarded the boy in a new light.

"Your father wouldn't be David Jones, by any chance?" The Officer queried.

"His friends call him 'Davy'," Killian supplied slowly. "He's not here though."

"Where is he?"

"I dunno," Killian answered, shrugging his shoulders. "He stayed ashore 'cause we can't sail till evening."

Nodding thoughtfully, the Officer turned back towards Captain Smollett.

"Remember what I said about the pirate," he warned him before turning to head up to the deck.

"Pirate?" Killian asked eagerly.

The officer paused, turning back to view the boy carefully.

"Yes, young Jones: pirate." The officer said slowly. "They're lawless, all of them, and only care about themselves. They bring dishonour to honest sailors like your good Captain, and Navy-men such as myself, and I will see to it that anyone who goes against the law is treated as a pirate should: with no mercy."

Turning, the Navy officer took his leave.

"What was that about, Captain?" Killian asked curiously.

"Never you mind, young-un," Captain Smollett steered the young boy back up on deck. "Now, time for you to get your bearings before we sail."

Hook followed his younger self up the stairs, where young Killian became focused on watching the sailors hauling the mainsail into place.

"Heave-ho boys!" The first mate called out cheerfully. "And let's hope Davy Jones isn't about to turn the tide on us!"

"Davy Jones?" Killian piped up. "That's my dad's name."

"Is it now?" The first mate asked the boy, chuckling slightly. "Well, I think your ol' da must be a different Davey Jones."

"So," Killian put forward, "Who's the one you're talking about?"

"Davy Jones," The first mate began with a smile, "Was once a pirate. One of the most fearsome to sail the seas. He spent his days as all pirates do: taking what he wanted and not caring for the rest. He fought many battles, and won them all."

Killian was listening with bated breath as the first mate spun his story.

"One day, Davy Jones came ashore to find himself hemmed on all sides by soldiers, ready to take him to prison, for there was a great bounty on his head. That night, as he sat in his cell, trying to think of a way to escape the hangman's noose, a dark man approaches him, a chance to sail the seas with a power that will help him avoid all capture. But it came at a price: He had to give up his heart."

Young Killian's eyes were wide.

"And did Davy Jones accept?"

"Aye, Lad, he did," The first mate told him surely. "And now, Davy Jones can control the wind and tide, helping sailors make way, or he could make a storm rise so that their ship sinks down to the very depths of the sea. And it is said," The first mate lowered his voice so that the boy had to lean in close to hear. "That Davey Jones' heart is kept locked away in a chest, so as to protect it from those who would try to kill him. For as long as his heart is safe, he cannot be killed. And Davey Jones will sink any lawful ship that sails, for he is still a pirate, and only a pirate ship is safe in his waters."

"Is that why you hoped Davy Jones wouldn't turn the tide on you?" Killian asked the first mate curiously. "Because you sail lawfully?"

"Aye lad," the first mate answered. "We had an officer on our ship just now, you see. And you can imagine that Davy Jones doesn't like any man wearing a navy uniform."

Hook started slightly as the mist rose up, obscuring the deck of the first sea vessel he had boarded so long ago.

When the mist disappeared, Hook found himself on another harbour. Only this time, it was at night, and the harbour was quiet as the various ships creaked slightly as they bobbed on the waves.

A man, who Hook could recognise as his father was making his way down from the deck of 'The Spanish Lady'. But as his feet touched the dock, men appeared to surround him.

"David Jones," a voice greeted and Hook's eyes widened as he recognised the Officer who had been aboard 'The Spanish Lady.' "We have a warrant for your arrest. Seize him."

"On what charges, Officer Bennett?" David demanded as his wrists were cuffed behind his back.

"Treason," Officer Bennett answered smoothly. "You helped a pirate to escape, when you had been instructed to deliver him to his place of execution."

"The man had saved by life," David explained. "I was returning the favour. It was the honourable thing to do."

"And it ensured your position as a fugitive of the law," Bennett informed him. "And as such, you will also be put to death. Take him away."

The mist rose up once more as Hook watched his father being forcibly removed from the docks. When it cleared, David was in a prison cell, pacing.

"Well well," Hook mused, watching his father circle the cell, "aren't you in a tight spot, father?"

"David Jones."

Hook spun around as David looked up to see a man standing just outside the cell door. The man was tall, with dark hair and beard. Clearly a sailor, the fine leather he was dressed in marked him as a captain, rather than a lowly deckhand.

"Who are you?" David asked, shocked.

"The question you should be asking is: How can I help _you _get out?"

David frowned as the man stepped closer.

"It's you," he mumbled. "You're the pirate I set free."

"They call me Davy Jones," the pirate smiled.

"Don't jest," David scoffed.

Davy smiled as he stepped straight through the bars of the cell to stand before David.

"I'm not really the jesting type," Davy smiled into David's shocked face.

"It's not often that I come ashore," Davy began, circling the cell slowly. "For my powers wane the further I am from the sea. Never been captured until recently though."

"You saved my life when I got knocked overboard," David mumbled.

"And here I am to save you once again," Davy announced. "Though it was good of you to release me, the gallows really wouldn't have had any effect on me, though I greatly appreciated your assistance. And as I consider myself an honourable man," the otherworldly pirate captain continued, "I'm going to give you the same deal that Zoso the Dark One gave me."

"And what exactly is that?" David asked warily.

"Don't you listen to the stories?" Davy's voice was incredulous.

"Stories aren't always factual," David admitted and the otherworldly pirate nodded in understanding.

"I save you from execution," Davy explained, "and you will then be free to sail the seas, with the power to control the wind and tide, and thus evade capture until those who once hunted you are dead and buried."

"What's the catch?" David asked slowly.

"You're heart," the pirate said quietly, producing a small chest that he'd been keeping behind his back. "You're heart must be locked away, and you will then be granted as many years as you wish, for you will not die unless someone stops your heart from beating."

David swallowed.

"What about my son?" He asked.

"Your son cannot live forever," Davy said bluntly. "You will have to leave him. But, if he stays by the sea, you will be able to see him."

"The boy is a sailor," David admitted, for his son soaked up knowledge from their ships' crew like a sponge. Surely, Killian would grow to sail the seas?

"Why have you chosen me?" David asked slowly, reserving his decision.

"As I said, I'm an honourable man," Davy put forward. "You saved me from the gallows, and so now I'm saving you. Besides," he added, "my name is practically myth now, so I'll be free to live my life once again." The pirate smiled. "And it'll be nice to know that the name will continue on in the stories."

David stared at the chest in the pirate's hand.

"Or, you can stay on the path you're on and end up at the gallows," the pirate added.

"I'll do it," David agreed. "I'll give someone else the power when my crime's forgotten."

"That's the spirit," Davy smiled before reaching forward and ripping David's heart right out from his chest.

"That's one down," the pirate commented mildly as David was forced to his knees, gasping. "Fear not, the feeling will go in a few minutes," he added as he opened the chest to reveal a second heart.

"Finally," the pirate said in relief as he took out his own heart and replaced it with David's.

Closing the lid of the chest, Davy locked it securely before tossing the key at David's feet.

"Enjoy your life of piracy, David Jones," the pirate shoved his heart into his own chest, gasping as his mortal life returned to him.

Hook closed his eyes as the mist rose up, obscuring his father as he took possession of the key, and the chest containing his heart.

When the mist cleared, it was early morning Hook found himself standing once more on the deck of 'The Spanish Lady,' watching his younger self being taught how to tie a new knot by the first mate as the sun rose above the harbour.

"How's this?" Young Killian asked, showing off his work.

"Not bad," The first mate smiled. "You certainly have a talent there, young Jones."

Killian sighed, dropping the rope on his lap as he stared towards land.

"Still no sign of my father yet, Roger?" He asked.

"Don't you worry, boy-o, he'll turn up," the first mate said surely. "Lots of people go ashore early for leave, and we won't be sailing till this afternoon. So just keep smiling, Killian, there's plenty of time."

"Ahoy on board!" A voice called.

Killian watched as Captain Smollett made his way to the railing. Curious, Killian followed to see the Officer he'd seen his first time aboard 'The Spanish Lady.'

"Officer Bennett," the Captain greeted. "What brings you here this fine morning?"

"Hand over David Jones!" The Officer demanded.

Killian swallowed fearfully and he felt Roger's hand on his shoulder.

"We haven't seen David Jones since last night, Sir," Captain Smollett admitted.

Officer Bennett smiled.

"Then you won't object if we come aboard to search for him."

Hook watched as the first mate, Roger, kept young Killian safely behind him as the men in uniform climbed aboard the ship and began to search below decks.

"What's this all about, Officer Bennett?" Captain Smollett asked.

"David Jones is a wanted fugitive," Officer Bennett announced to the crew gathered on deck. "And while we failed to apprehend him at the previous harbour, we were able to capture him last night. However," he admitted, "This morning we found his cell completely empty." The officer cast his eyes over the crew, who all wore expressions of shock, but none so much as young Killian.

"Now: Where is David Jones?" Bennett demanded.

But no one gave an answer.

"You do realise that, by aiding and abetting a fugitive of the law," Bennett added, "you will be considered equally guilty and so will be punished with equal severity."

Silence hung on the deck.

"Jones' isn't here, Officer Bennett," Captain Smollett spoke up. "So I suggest you search elsewhere."

Bennett's eyes roamed until they landed on Killian.

"You, boy," he pointed. "Come here."

Killian stood frozen, until a uniformed man pulled him forward to stand before Bennett.

"Where is your father?" Bennett asked.

Killian swallowed.

"I dunno," he admitted, his voice wavering slightly.

Bennett bent down to look the ten year old in the eye.

"Are you hiding your father?" He asked, his voice soft.

"_No_," Killian answered.

"Officer Bennett," Roger stepped forward. "Jones isn't aboard sir. The boy knows nothing, just leave him be. He's going through enough as it is."

Bennett's forehead creased in a frown as he noticed something around Roger's neck glistening in the morning sunlight. Reaching forward, Bennett grasped at the long chain, revealing a gold pendant engraved with a skull.

"Pirate," he snarled angrily.

A scream tore at Killian's throat as Bennett unsheathed his sword and ran Roger right through.

"At least one pirate won't escape his fate today," Bennett commented as he wiped his blade clean of blood. "Captain Smollett," he continued as he made to disembark the ship, "You would do well in the future to be fully aware of the nature of the men you allow to crew your ship."

"Roger has more honour than you!" Killian screamed at the officer, enraged and bereaved at the loss of his friend.

"He's a pirate," Bennett answered mildly before leaving.

Killian rushed to Roger's side as the man coughed blood.

"Roger..." the boy whimpered as tears ran down his face. "Please don't die."

"Don't you worry lad," Roger tried to smile, "I'll be joining Davy Jones on his ship."

"Are you really a pirate?" Killian asked, his curiosity winning slightly over his grief.

"Aye lad, I was," Roger answered before coughing. "And our good Captain knew," he added, panting for breath. "For a man's profession doesn't tell you whether there's honour in his heart. You can be a pirate, and still live by a code."

"And you can enforce the law," Killian added, "and still be cruel."

"Aye lad," Roger nodded. "So don't you worry about me; I have no regrets. And neither should you, boy-o. Just keep smiling, Killian," Roger again tried to smile as the light faded from his eyes. "Keep smiling..."

The man fell limp onto the deck of the ship.

The ship's crew all took of their hats and bowed their heads in respect for their fallen shipmate.

Hook bowed his head as well, in respect of the man who had inspired him with a love of the sea, and inspired the name of his ship.

"To Roger," one of the crew members raised a bottle of rum in a toast. "Our jolly first mate who lived without regret!"

"To Jolly Roger!" Everyone echoed.

The mist took over again as Hook raised his head, and he found soon himself standing on the deck of his own Ship.

And Milah stood before the Dark One.

"How could you leave Bae?" Rumplestiltskin asked his wife, pointing a finger accusingly.

"Oh no," Hook whispered as, once again, he was forced to see the woman he loved murdered before his very eyes.

"Even Demons can be killed," his past self vowed. "I will find a way."

As the Dark One bid farewell, the mist rose up once more, and hook found himself standing aboard the Jolly Roger once again, this time confronting Baelfire.

"Your father lied to you," Past Hook was telling Baelfire. "He was too much of a coward to tell you the truth: he took her heart out and crushed it in front of me. And I've spent every moment since then wanting revenge."

"Not a single day went by that your mother didn't regret leaving you, Baelfire," he continued. "We talked about going back for you when you were old enough. Perhaps fate brought us together so that I can make good on those plans. We can live the lives that Milah wanted for us, as a family."

"No!" Bae stepped back, not wanting Hook to touch him. "You used me! You wanted to kill my father!"

"Yes," Hook granted. "I did."

"You tore apart my family,' Bae continued, sobbing. "it's as if you tore her heart out yourself."

"Bae," Past Hook pleaded gently, "Don't."

The mist took the scene away and when it cleared, there were still Bae and his past self on the deck of the Jolly Roger, only this time, it was fast becoming nightfall.

"Do you really think you can survive on your own?" Hook's past self asked Bae with concern.

"I've never really been given another choice," Bae answered, avoiding the pirate's eyes.

"But you have one now," Hook said.

"I get you're angry," Hook told the boy gently. "but it doesn't have to end like this. This ship can be your home, your family. Just say the word." It's not too late to start over." Hook's voice was hopeful as he tried to meet the boy's eyes. "I can change, Bae. For you."

"You say that," Bae told him, turning to face the pirate. "But I know you'll never change. Because all you care about is yourself."

Hook watched as his past self thanked Bae for reminding him what he was all about moments before the Lost Ones boarded the ship and took Bae away.

Hook bowed his head as he heard Bae's accusations. He had left Milah's son to the Lost Ones... all in the name of getting vengeance on her death?

Raising his eyes, Hook realised that the scene had changed once more, and he watched as he and Regina stepped out of the elevator shaft and into the mines.

"You ever wonder if this constant pursuit of revenge is the reason why nobody cares for us?" He asked her as they made their way through the tunnels. "I mean," he continued," when all this is over and I know the Crocodile is dead, for good, and all," he clarified. "Then I'll have nothing to look forward to, my life will be empty." The pirate turned to look at the Queen as they walked. "Revenge may sate your being, but don't misunderstand me dear. It's an end, not a beginning."

"For you, maybe," Regina replied slowly, "not me. I have Henry."

Hook let out a slow breath as the mist obscured the scene once more.

Bae had never wanted him to kill his father, accusing Hook of using him, which, Hook had to admit, he had.

Milah had never wanted to leave her son, wanting him to join them so they could be a family. And yet he had handed Bae over to the Lost Ones.

Hook slowly lowered himself to the ground, deep in thought.

What would Milah say if she were to see him now?

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: What do you think?

The reason why I had the characters split up like this was because, while I felt David, Snow, Emma and Regina had aspects of _themselves_ that needed to be faced, Henry, Neal, Rumple and Hook had events from their_ past_ that needed to be dealt with.

So here we go...

Henry:

Henry hasn't really had anything traumatic happen to him, other than the sleeping curse, and he has proven himself very capable of handling tough events. However, he does still have questions about who he is, and I also wanted to take the time for him to see just how much power he actually had in Neverland. For while the others had the 'default' setting, Henry was the only one who could actually control what he wanted to see (other than the small example of when Regina chose a memory to prove she didn't want to become the Evil Queen, but she while she has a broad range of magical knowledge, she still couldn't take complete control of what she saw).

Henry is still a child, which means he has all the hopes dreams and questions that a child has. Not to mention a more 'black and white' way of seeing the world (such as when he couldn't believe Snow White would hurt anyone). His happy ending has always been to have his family together, and so he saw his birth mother, and the circumstances around her giving him away. He saw his adoptive mother, at a time when she was just 'Regina the mom' and Henry finally is learning about the father that he hasn't really got the chance to know yet.

I know there may be some of you questioning why, earlier, Emma hadn't recognised Tinkerbell as the one who gave her the adoption papers, and there are there are 2 reasons for this. One is that Emma was so exhausted and focussed on the fact that she was giving her son away that she barely registered Tinkerbell there. The second is, I only got the idea as I was writing this chapter...sorry.

Besides, it was ten years ago, Emma was in a very emotional state, I don't think she was paying much attention anyway...

Neal:

Neal still has abandonment issues with his father, which is why I thought he would see the pit again. But as Neal is no longer a child, he is now able to have a better understanding of the different sides to a situation, which is why he was able to see the aftermath and Rumple's confrontation with the Blue Fairy, so he could see that his father truly was determined to find him, no matter what.

But the thing I think Neal is most focussed on at the moment, is the fact that he is a father who wants to get back to his son and the woman he loves. But Neal hasn't actually had time to learn about his son, or what Emma had to go through, so I was thinking that some Season 1 flashbacks might help him see what they were like.

I chose 'The Price of Gold' (S1E4) as, rewatching it, I can see a lot of small moments throughout it that seem parallel with Tallahasse, and I don't think it was a mistake that Regina actually mentioned Tallahasse at the start. You could see that Emma was fighting for Ashley to keep her child, as she had had everyone tell her what to do with her own son. You could see references to 'the backseat of a car' and the fact that others were telling Ashley that the right thing to do would be to give up the baby. Even down to Henry suprising Emma by hiding in the back seat. I felt that, rather than confronting a person, Neal needed to see these moments for himself, in order to see the parallels between their stories. For while I know that Neal (and August) felt they were doing the right thing by getting Emma home to her family, like she had always wanted, I think that Neal will be realising that what he did was not the only option that he could have chosen. I know he's already apologised, but I'm planning on Neal apologising again to Emma, saying that he should have fought like she did for Ashley, so they they could've raised Henry togather, and Neal himself could have brought Emma to Storybrooke.

I know there's no way that he can make up for the years that he's lost, I just think that it was important for Neal to see Emma and Henry while they were in Storybrooke, as it allows his to get a better understanding of what each of them went through as a result of his decision to let Emma go.

Perhaps it will help him get o nthe same page as his father- wanting to correct a decision he made years ago?

Rumple:

I can't take credit for the story outline of Rumple's father leaving. One of my lovely readers informed me that at a Paleyfest interview, Eddy and Adam revealled that a deleted scene from 'Manhattan' showed how Rumple was abandoned by his father: His father had been in debt and told his son he was going to get some water. When he didn't take a bucket, Rumple followed him. His father was cornered by a group of money-hungry men and killed, thereby being labelled a coward for running away in the dead of night. The men then took Rumple to be raised by the local spinners.

I spent some time trying to find a name to give Rumple's dad, 'cause seriously: What do you call Rumplestiltskin's father? I had looked up name meanings, and tried to find ones that meant 'coward' but couldn't really find any good ones, except maybe 'kraven' (as in: Underworld) but it didn't really fit. I tried searching for different meanings, until I finally tried simply searching for one that meant 'father' and I found 'Bagdemagus', which is a scottish name meaning 'Father of Maleagant'. Maleagant was a villan in some Athurian legends, and had connections to the otherworld. The Legand of King Authur has ben touched upon in ONCE, and Rumple is a very dark magician, so I thought it seemed to fit, especially as Robert Carlyle is scottish himself.

Also, I figured if your going to call your son 'Rumplestiltskin' you must be used to saying long or complicated names...

The name 'Penelope' also means 'Weaver', by the way.

(I wonder if Eddy and Adam go throught things like this when trying to find the right name for a new character?)

Now, I never found the video of that interview, but this was my interpretaion of the basic outline.

For the second memory, I wanted to focus on the doll that the Lost One, Felix, delivered to Rumple earlier. I know I had thought that the doll had belonged to Rumple, but the things that truly have sentimental value to us are the things that remind us of someone we cared about. And who does Rumple love more than his son? (other than Belle, of course.) So, I thought that the doll must have been something he made for his son, and a small doll like that would only be given to a young child. And as Rumple had believed his son to be dead at the time the doll was delivered to him, it's not surprising that seeing it had encouraged such a strong emotional reaction.

I wanted to make the act of giving baby Bae the doll greater significance than just his first birthday present. I thought that 'Rumple the soldier' showed more eagerness for battle than 'dagger-stealing Rumple' so I was wondering, how did he become so broken?

And that's when I came up with the idea for Samantha. Someone who helped raise Rumple at the spinners house, who Rumple cared enough about to try and help. But his attempt at bravery only led to her death, causing him to think that it is safer to run, rather than to fight and die.

And finally, Hook:

Hook also has abandonment issues, and the story of how his father left him was a real challenge for me to write, as we really don't know that much about him.

Using his last name of Jones, I drew inspiration from 'Pirates of the Carribean' (again, no copywrite infingement intended) and gave it a slight twist- kind of turning it into the pirate's version of 'the Dark One'. I also wanted to reference the previous 'Dark One' as Eddy and Adam said that we may be learning a bit about past 'Dark Ones' and I wanted the 'Curse of Davy Jones' to be a pirate curse that the Dark One, Zoso, had originally given.

I was also wondering why Killian would chose to be a pirate. Not just a sailor, but a _pirate . _And that was what inspired me to create the character of Roger, who inspired the name of Hook's ship.

Captain Smollett was my little shout out to one of my famourite stories: Treasure Island.

But, for Hook, I wanted him to begin to reconsider the path of vengence that he's been on, and wonder if it really is the right path for him. Let's face it- Hook is never going to be able to kill Rumple, he's too important to the series, and Hook is a much loved character too, so Eddy and Adam can't get rid of him. What to do? Well, judging by episodes 20-22, I'm guessing they're going to have Hook overcome his desire for vengence, as he's seen how hollow it has left Regina, and Hook clearly is a man who loves life, and so won't want to live an empty life. That doesn't mean he won't try to kill Rumple if the opportunity presents himself, as I bet the to of them still hate each other vehemently... but I think Hook sees now that vengence is not the right way to honour Milah's memory, as it caused him to betray her son. A such, I think he will now try to live the way Milah wished him to.

I hope this chapter draws parallels, not only between the characters past experiences, but also the characters themselves. I think Hnery, Neal, Rumple and Hook are actually all very similar people. All have abandonment issues, all have lost people in their lives, and Neal, Rumple and Hook al lseem to like the same kind of women, have you noticed that?

I can see some very interesting interactions between them in the future!

I hope all that makes sense. If I didn't explain something you're a little fuzzy on, please ask me, and I'll do my best to clarify any details.

Please review!


	9. Reunited for a while

Author's note: Hi everybody! Thank you so much for your reads and reviews. I took a bit of a break to recharge my brain after writing those two looong chapters, and now I'm back to my more average chapter length. Here's chapter 9, and I hope you enjoy it.

~..~..~..~..

Neal made his way through the forest, mindful to steer clear of the lagoon as he headed in the direction needed to reach the shore, where Tinkerbell had told him he would be able to meet up with his family. He had spent many years on this island, and knew the forests as well as his old apartment back in New York.

"I wish I knew how to heal," Tinkerbell said gently as she fluttered by his side. As promised, she had been there to wake Bae up as soon as the mist cleared. He appeared more determined than ever to find his family, ignoring his still healing injury as he headed off into the forest.

'It must be his son, Henry, that he's so concerned about,' Tink surmised. After all, she hadn't seen anything really special about _Emma_.

"I'm fine," Neal told her as he continued on his way. At this pace, he should reach the shore by lunchtime.

'Wait' he thought, coming to a stop.

"Neal?" Tink queried, noticing the pause.

Neal looked up at the fairy, realising that there was a faster way to find his family.

"Do you have any more fairy dust?" He asked.

~..~..~..~..

"Wake up me beauties! Rise and shine!"

David slowly opened his eyes against the morning sunlight. Squinting, he looked around to find that they were in the exact same spot they had been in just before the mist had risen up.

"What the..." David murmured in confusion as he slowly got to his feet, Regina glancing around nearby as Hook walked over from the water's edge.

"I don't understand," David stated as the pirate approached. "How are we in the exact same place? I was walking and _even fighting_, during the night."

"What _was_ that, exactly?" Regina added, sounding slightly shaken from her ordeal.

"A dream," Hook explained shortly.

"What do you mean?" David asked, not understanding.

"Well, you were asleep the entire time," Hook clarified.

"What?" Regina demanded. She hadn't felt a thing.

"Neverland is where your dreams and memories can come to life," Hook explained gravely. "Did you notice that you never walked into anything, no matter where you moved?"

Regina and David nodded slowly.

"Well, as soon as the mist turns up, your body falls asleep, yet your mind stays awake," Hook tried to explain as best as he could. "That's why, even if all you could see was the mist, you never bumped into anything."

"Because we were never actually moving," David added, getting the concept, even though the reality of it was making his head spin.

"So now that it's morning," Regina continued, looking out over the sea as the sun rose, "everything's back to normal?"

"About as normal as it gets in this bloody place," The pirate stated ruefully.

"Good," Regina said softly heading towards the forest edge. "Now, we can go back to finding Henry."

David followed slowly, lost in thought.

"You look like you had quite the adventure last night," Hook commented, falling in alongside the Prince.

Biting back a retort, David reminded himself that the pirate captain was actually helping them, for no apparent personal gain.

"I...learnt a lot about myself," David answered guardedly.

"That's what this island does," Hook nodded. "With the children here, they haven't really experienced enough of life, nor have the mental maturity to truly understand how the world works, so all that happens to them at night, is they remember the family they've left behind," he continued. "But for any adults here, who have a bit more, say... _life experience_," Hook sighed. "Well, the nights are a little different."

"You're telling me," David mumbled, before glancing at the pirate cautiously.

"The things the mist shows us," David puts forward carefully, "are they real?"

"I suppose that depends on your definition of real," the pirate answered mildly.

David frowned in frustration, but the image of that glass box prevented him from retorting, seeing Hook's point.

"I mean, the things from the past," David thought he'd need to be more specific. "If you see something that happened in the past, and it wasn't about you: was it _true_?"

Hook regarded the Prince carefully, noting his expression.

"The things we see at night may sometimes be ambiguous," Hook granted, "but the mist never lies."

David closed his eyes sadly.

"That's what I thought," he whispered.

~..~..~..~..

"Mom. Mom!"

Emma slowly opened her eyes to find Henry and Snow beside her, looking concerned.

"Hey Emma," Snow greeted softly. What had her daughter been forced to see in the mist?

"Henry!" Emma cried out in relief, sitting up to hug her son. "You're okay!"

"I'm fine, mom," he told her hugging her tightly. "I'm okay."

"Are _you_ okay?" Snow asked her daughter in concern.

Emma appeared to think for a moment.

"Yeah," she answered slowly. "Yeah, I'm okay." She met her son's gaze carefully.

"Henry," Emma began, "I know I haven't always done right by you, and I'm sorry for that..." she began, but Henry shook his head before cutting her off.

"It's okay," he told his mother. "I don't blame you for anything, mom. Everything is going to be okay. Our family is going to be okay. All of us."

"All of us?" Emma repeated.

"Yep." Henry nodded. "_Both_ of my moms, my dad, my grandparents...I have a big family now, and we're _all_ going to make it through this."

Emma looked at her son curiously.

"Henry, what did you see last night?" She asked.

Henry swallowed.

"My family," he answered. "I saw you, giving birth to me in prison. You were crying so much when they took me away, and all I could do was watch you."

Emma pulled her son in for another hug, and Snow wrapped her arms around her daughter to comfort her.

"I saw my mom, Regina, when she first became my new mom," Henry continued. "She had done so much to get ready for me...she'd loved me before she even met me."

Henry quirked a smile.

"I saw how you and dad met," Henry continued.

"What?" Emma said quickly, pulling back to regard her son with shock.

"'I stole a stolen car'," Henry quoted with a grin.

"You stole a car?" Snow repeated, curiously as Emma's mouth dropped open in shock.

"The yellow bug," Henry supplied.

"O-kay, kid," Emma stood up quickly, "we've gotta get going."

"Neal looked _totally_ love-struck," Henry continued as Emma steered him in the direction they needed to travel in. "It was awesome!"

"This sounds like an interesting story," Snow smiled.

"We'll have story-time later," Emma insisted as she moved off.

"Well, it's a long walk," Snow prompted gently, trying to meet her daughter's eye. "I'd like to learn more about you and Neal. Especially now that we know he's alive..."

Emma swallowed.

"I can tell the story," Henry said eagerly, trotting slightly ahead of them to walk backwards, watching the pair.

"Henry!" Emma cautioned, grabbing her son before he walked into a tree.

But Henry just looked at her expectantly.

"It's a great story..." He weedled, pleading. "Just like Snow White and Prince Charming. They met when she stole from him."

"That's true," Snow commented lightly.

Emma sighed.

"Fine," she granted reluctantly.

"We walk," Henry grinned," and you talk"

~..~..~..~..

Belle walked towards the town hall eagerly.

After Rumple had visited her last night, she had spent most of the night reading. She had read the town charter, wanting to familiarise herself with her new station, the town and it's laws. But she had also started reading through some of Rumple's spell books, which he kept in the basement of his house, looking for magical ways to reach other worlds.

Belle was determined to find him, and she was no longer afraid of using magic in order to do it.

But now, it was time for her to go to work, and she opened the door to the Mayor's office, _her_ office, with anticipation.

Viewing the room, Belle noted that it looked as if Regina had merely left for lunch. The place was very organised. Regina had certainly controlled even her office with an iron fist.

At least it would make Belle's job today a little easier.

'Well,' Belle geared herself up for the day, 'I'd better get familiar with this place.'

Stepping behind the desk, Belle placed her bag and the town charter down on the polished surface before turning to a nearby filing cabinet.

"Let's see," she mused thoughtfully as she pulled out a file. "What's first?"

Taking a sip of tea, Belle began reading.

Time passed until a knock at the door interrupted her, and Belle looked up from the fifth file she was just finishing to realise she had an unexpected, and unwanted, visitor.

"Mr. Spencer," Belle greeted cautiously. "What brings you here?"

The former King George entered the room without invitation.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing with your first day in office," Spencer said calmly.

"Fine, thank you," Belle had received several calls already from various business asking for help, and had made calls herself to the school and to construction companies, as per her promises.

"Good to know," the former King George said with a cool smile.

"Good day to you, then," Belle dismissed, standing up to return the file she'd been reading to the cabinet.

"Actually, Madame Mayor," Spencer continued, "I also came to introduce you to my candidate for Sherriff."

Belle sighed. She'd been wondering when this would happen.

"Well ,the debate is today," Belle told him. "Will your candidate be able to hold his own next to one of the greatest of King Midas' knights?"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll do a decent job," Spencer said coolly. "He's been a Sherriff before, in fact."

Belle paused in confusion as Spencer turned to the door, and she felt her eyebrows rising sceptically when she saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Keith?"

"Madame, Mayor," the former Sherriff of Nottingham smiled as he entered the room.

"_You're_ running for Storybrooke's Sherriff?" Belle confirmed. She admitted, he certainly _looked_ more respectable now, than when she had met him at the Rabbit Hole as Lacey.

But still...

"Hey," Keith objected, seeing the look on Belle's face. "I've _been _a Sherriff before, I know the job," he insisted. "Besides," Keith gestured hesitantly towards her, "you weren't exactly fully qualified for the Mayor's position, yet you got elected."

"A very good point," Spencer added. "Thank you Keith. The debate starts in two hours, you'd better go back to rehearsing what you'll say."

"Sure thing," Keith backed up a bit, winking at Belle as he did so. "Looking forward to serving you, Madame Mayor."

Belle closed her eyes in disgust until she was sure the man was out of sight.

"Why did you pick _him_?" Belle asked Spencer incredulously. "He's a drunk. What makes you think he's a good candidate?"

"He's been a Sherriff before," Spencer granted, "and he actually came to _me_, asking for help to get the job." The man laughed humourlessly. "He seemed quite eager to get his old position back."

Belle sighed in exasperation before a thought hit her.

"You're going to tell him what to say in the debate, aren't you?" Belle asked slowly.

"Well, that's comes as part of me helping him get the job," Spencer granted.

Belle took a step forward as her mind was starting to see where this was going.

"You wanted to keep the DA position because it means you're out of the spotlight," she said quietly. "After you lost the election, you didn't want the Sherriff's position, because that would mean working for me. So when Keith came to you, you saw that as the perfect opportunity. If Keith get's elected, he'll be indebted to you, _and_ be in a position to enforce the law. So you can get him to do what _you_ like, under the guise of him repaying his debt. And if he ends up doing a bad job, it won't reflect on you, but on me..."

"Because you're the Mayor," Spencer finished. "I must say, Librarian, you are pretty good."

"Keith hasn't won the Sherriff's position yet," Belle reminded the man.

Spencer smiled. "Neither has Sir Fredrick."

"Then I'll see you at the debate this afternoon," Belle dismissed, gesturing him to the door.

"May the best man win," Spencer had to have the last word before he left the room.

Taking a deep breath, Belle returned to the filing cabinet, pulled a folder out at random and sat down. But it took a few moments of staring blankly at the sheets of paper in front of her before she realised what she was seeing.

It was a file pertaining to the mental ward under the Storybrooke hospital.

Turning the pages, Belle found the section about her.

Total amnesia. Became distressed easily, so needed seclusion…

Belle swallowed, and realised that the file had yet to be updated.

Getting a red pen from the desk drawer, Belle crossed out the status of 'confined due to mental instability' and wrote 'released due to full memory recovery,' adding the date she had left the hospital.

Smiling slightly, Belle continued reading and found that she was not the only person that Regina had kept prisoner in the mental ward.

And Belle  
was willing to bet that they weren't imprisoned due to mental health issues.

Making a decision, Belle gathered the hospital files together and placed them carefully in her bag before heading out the door.

~..~..~..~..

"We're getting close to the Lost Boy's camp," Hook told his companions.

"That means that we should be crossing paths with Snow, Emma and Henry soon," David added hopefully, picking up his pace.

"Yes," Hook granted slowly, "if we haven't missed them in the forest.

"Henry?" Regina paused to listen carefully. "Henry!"

"Snow!" David called out. "Emma? Where are you?"

Listening carefully, there was only silence, accompanied by the rustling of the trees.

But then...

"Did you hear that?" Regina said hopefully, straining her ears, she hoped she hadn't imagined it.

An inaudible voice cried faintly from within the trees.

"Henry?" Regina shouted, searching through the dense trees, trying to locate her son.

"Mom!" a voice cried faintly, still some distance and muffled due to the thick foliage.

"It's Henry!" David exclaimed, and Regina broke into a run.

"Henry!" She called out.

"Mom!"

Hearing the voice on her right, Regina adjusted her course.

"Snow!" David called out as he shoved tree branches and vines out of his way as he ran, headless of the scratches marking his face, arms and hands as he realised his family was so close. "Emma!"

"David!"

"Charming!"

Regina glimpsed a movement ahead and sped up.

"Henry!" She cried as she saw her son racing towards her. Scratched and covered in dirt from the forest, but safe.

"Mom!" Henry laughed as he flung his arms around his mother. "You found me!"

"Of course I did," she smiled, kissing her son before cupping his face in her hands. "I love you, Henry."

"Snow! Emma!"

David arrived on the scene just as Emma and Snow caught up with Henry. Rushing forward, he gathered his wife in his arms before turning to hug Emma, who still seemed a little awkward about the embrace.

"Emma," David began, stepping back to look his daughter in the eye. "When you were growing up... when you were about twelve… did you live in a house with a man named Mr. Wilkins?"

Emma seemed too shocked to answer, but her wide eyes were all David needed to feel his heart break.

"What?" She whispered.

"And you lived with three other girls?" David prompted carefully. "Mikayla, Shannon and Kelly?"

"How did you know that?" Emma asked, although she could guess.

David could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as he regarded his daughter sadly. So it had been true, after all…

"The mist," David whispered softly. He pulled his daughter into his arms once more, and this time, Emma sunk into the embrace.

"I'm _so sorry_, Emma," David told his daughter tearfully. "You grew up unloved. And it's all my fault."

"Hey," Emma stammered, still trying to keep up her tough composure, "it's not like anything can be done about it now."

David swallowed.

"I would've taken you to the prize-giving," he told her earnestly.

Emma actually began to laugh as she wiped her eyes.

"What prize giving?" Snow asked, interestedly. She hadn't wanted to interrupt the 'daddy-daughter' moment, but was still interested in her daughter's life growing up.

"Emma won her school's speech competition when she was twelve," David told his wife proudly.

"Oh Emma!" Snow hugged her daughter happily. "That's fantastic!"

"Oh, come on," Emma brushed off the praise, but couldn't wipe the smile off of her face, "I was just a kid."

"All the more impressive," Snow replied. "And we still have twenty eight years of celebrating to do."

"When we get home," Emma qualified.

"When we get home," Snow and Charming echoed.

"Well now," Hook commented as he meandered up to the group. "How touching to see a family reunited. Now," he added quickly, "I suggest we head back to my ship quickly so as to return back to Storybrooke."

"How will we do that?" David asked. "Didn't the Indians' bean field get burnt down?"

"Not all of them," Henry proudly brought out the bean pod that he still carried in his pocket.

"We can go home," Snow smiled.

"Okay, well, come on," Regina encouraged. "Let's go right now, before Peter Pan finds us."

"Wait," Henry objected. "What about Mr. Gold? And I promised Ariel that she could come with us, because she helped me get away from the Lost Ones," he added.

"Henry," Regina tried to reason with her son. "You're the one Peter Pan wants. We need to get you out of here safely."

"Why don't Regina, Emma and Henry use a bean now, and go home," David suggested, "and Snow, Hook and I can stay behind to get Gold out?"

"That's a good idea," Snow agreed.

"I'm not risking my life against Peter Pan to safe the Rumplestiltskin," Hook objected.

"I don't' care what you- "

"Guys!" Henry interrupted David to gain everyone's attention. "We can't go yet. None of us can."

"Why not?" Regina asked her son.

"I saw Mr. Gold in the mist," Henry told the group. "He's made a deal with Peter Pan."

"Oh, great," Emma mumbled, still, it explained where he disappeared to.

"He's doing it to save my life," Henry told his birth mother firmly. "Pan says that if he can make it through a dreamscape, me and my family can leave Neverland unharmed."

"And if we leave before then," Regina continued, seeing where this was going, "that will be seen as breaking the deal."

"And let me, guess: we all die?" Emma added sardonically. She was itching to get going. Or to punch someone, she didn't know which at the moment.

"Wait," David cautioned the group before turning to his grandson. "Did Gold say _why_ Peter Pan would let us all go?"

Henry shook his head.

"And he didn't say what would happen if he didn't pass the test either," Henry admitted slowly.

"I'm sure it wouldn't be good either way," Snow commented.

"Gold," Regina hissed under her breath, fighting back her frustration with difficulty. If Gold hadn't tried to make his deals, they could have all been home right now. Now, they were forced to wait, in order to avoid catastrophe.

"Well, as we're due for a wait," Hook interrupted. "I suggest we return to my ship. The sea is always safer than the land here."

"Alright," Emma granted as she and Regina both took a hold of Henry, both reluctant to let him out of their sight. "This also gives us time to prepare to fight, if we have to."

Carefully, the group followed Hook to the coast line, not even noticing the many pairs of eyes that watched them from the trees.

~..~..~..~..

Belle entered the lobby of the StorybrookeHospital and made her way over to a side door, tucked inconspicuously to one side of a corridor.

Checking the file, Belle carefully entered the code into the alarm pad by the door and entered.

The air was cold and over air conditioned, and Belle swallowed as she warily made her way down the plain grey steps.

"Belle," the Head Nurse greeted as she stood up. "I mean, Madame Mayor," she corrected herself. "What brings you here today?"

Belle handed the file over to the woman who perused it with a frown.

"Regina kept many people other than myself locked up down here," Belle began. "And I would like to have them released."

"Released?" The Head Nurse repeated, raising her head in surprise. "I assure you Madame Mayor, the patients we treat here are treated for a reason."

"Yes," Belle agreed, "the people kept prisoner here are here because Regina wanted them to be."

She smiled. "Now, as the new Mayor of Storybrooke, I want these people released."

"Madame Mayor," The Head Nurse began to object, but Belle cut through her protestation.

"Every single one of these patients has the Mayor of Storybrooke as the one who is in charge of their incarceration," she told the nurse firmly, pointing to the files to illustrate her point. "As such, the Mayor of Storybrooke is also in charge of their release. And as the Mayor of Storybrooke," Belle finished, "I am asking that they now be released."

Having no choice but to comply, the nurse handed over the keys.

"Thank you," Belle took the keys in hand before making her way down the hall.

As she reached a door, Belle glanced at her file to check who was inside.

"Sydney Glass," she read aloud. Taking the key with the door's number on it, she carefully opened the door.

The cell was identical to the one that Belle had once been imprisoned in. Grey padded walls and a hard bench served as the bed. Only a small, bared window offered any natural light from the street above.

A man stood up eagerly as the door opened.

"Your Majesty, I knew you'd-" He broke off when he saw Belle standing before him.

"Mr. Glass," Belle greeted carefully, not wanting to frighten the man.

"Who are you?" The man, Sydney glass asked her. He was wearing the standard off-white uniform that patients wore in the hospital, and his face was half covered in a short beard as razors were something that were forbidden for patients to have access to.

"My name is Belle," Belle introduced herself slowly. "And I'm the new Mayor of Storybrooke."

"Where's Regina?" Sydney asked, his forehead creasing with worry.

"She's gone to Neverland, along with the Prince, Snow White, Captain Hook and Rumplestiltskin in order to rescue her son, Henry," Belle explained, hoping that what she was saying made sense to him. Belle figured it would, as he had clearly known Regina and referred to her as 'Your Majesty', which implied that he was from the same world as she was. "As Storybrooke had no Mayor or Sheriff, the town had to elect someone else, and I won the position of Mayor, and I won," she continued. "Today, there'll be the debate for the Sheriff's position."

"Regina's gone?" Sydney repeated, before sighing. "That explains why she hasn't come to get me out."

"Well, you can get out now," Belle told him, stepping back from the doorway to reveal the empty corridor.

"Yes, thank you," Sydney told Belle as he exited his cell. "I have to find Regina."

"Maybe we can help each other," Belle put forward. "I need to find Rumple."

Syndey paused and regarded Belle with more scrutiny.

"Belle," he repeated slowly, realisation coming into his eyes. "You were the girl that worked for Rumplestiltskin."

"Yes, that's right," Belle nodded. "How did you know?"

"I worked for the Queen," Syndey explained. "I was once a genie, but through a mis-worded wish, I became her magic mirror. I helped her to find people and find information on her enemies."

"You fell in love with her," Belle whispered, watching the man's expression.

"You fell in love with the Dark One," Sydney countered.

Belle nodded.

"Well, as both of us wish to reach the ones we love," she proposed, "perhaps we can work together to do so?"

Sydney nodded.

"Perhaps we can," he granted. "But you should be careful about using the word 'wish' around a genie."

~..~..~..~..

The group approached the Jolly Roger, Hook especially eager to get aboard his beloved ship and away from this bloody shore where Peter Pan could reach them all too easily.

"All aboard the long boat!" He called out as everyone approached. "Hurry up!"

"Wait for me!"

Emma froze as everyone else looked around. It couldn't be...

"Head's up!"

Henry felt his jaw drop and his heart leap as _his father_ actually _dropped down from the sky _and landed beside the longboat.

"Dad!" Henry exclaimed, racing forward to hug his father as everyone else gaped.

"Henry!" Neal wrapped his arms around his son in relief, wincing slightly as it pulled at his injured side. "Oh, you're alright."

"Neal?"

Looking up, Neal met Emma's shocked gaze and smiled.

"Emma," he greeted gently, wincing again as Henry took a step back, looking between his mother and his father hopefully.

Noticing the wince, Emma's gaze dropped to the blood staining Neal's shirt.

"You're still wounded," she observed moving forward, reaching a hand out in concern.

As her hand touched the injury, however, a white light flared up from the centre of her palm and entered Neal's side.

As the light faded, Neal quickly unbuttoned his shirt to tear at the bandages covering his side, revealing his wound...

But it had completely healed, without even leaving a scar.

"Not anymore," he replied slowly.

"Woah," Henry whispered, impressed.

Emma's eyes widened.

"How did I do that?" She asked no one in particular.

Neal raised his eyes.

"You've got the magic touch, Emma," he told her carefully. He'd never seen Emma use magic before. She was certainly powerful.

"Brilliant," David commented. "Now can you dress yourself and we can get to the ship?"

Chuckling, Neal buttoned his shirt, but became serious very quickly.

Henry couldn't take it anymore.

"Were you _flying_?" He asked his father excitedly.

Neal smiled at his son's enthusiasm in the light of being hunted by Peter Pan.

"Yeah," he answered. "Neverland sucks for the most part, but the flying's cool."

"How did you get here from the Enchanted Forest?" Emma queried, trying to keep control of the emotions that were swirling through her..

Neal pointed upward.

"Called in a ride," he answered.

The group looked up as Tinkerbell fluttered into their line of sight, before suddenly becoming human-sized in a flash of light.

"Tinkerbell?" Emma queried.

"You're welcome," she said, meeting Emma's gaze as her wings tucked themselves away.

"Hey," Henry realised, pointing to the fairy. "You're the one who gave my mom the adoption papers at the prison hospital before taking me away."

Tink turned her eyes on the boy, before flicking her eyes towards Neal.

"What?" Neal asked, confused.

"And she and August worked together to bring Henry to Storybrooke for Regina," Emma added, remembering what she had seen in the mist.

"What?" Regina asked, as all eyes landed on the fairy. "It was _you_?"

Tink swallowed as she raised her eyes slowly to meet Baelfire's gaze, afraid of what she'd see.

His dark brown eyes were filled with hurt and confusion.

"Tink?" He whispered. "You knew about Henry, and you didn't tell me?"

The fairy swallowed.

"After Bae left Neverland," she began, "I missed him a lot. The fairies here have the ability to travel between worlds, and I decided to try searching for him. Though it took me a long time before I could figure out how to reach the Land Without Magic, and I figured that he'd be a man, rather than the teenager who had left." She took a breath. "So," she continued, trying to keep her voice light, "when I finally arrived, I was forced to take on a human form," she explained, gesturing to her current size, "and I used my ability to sense magic, to try and track him down. "However, instead of Baelfire, I found another. Someone else who had been touched by magic."

"August," Emma surmised.

"Once I realised who he was, I told him who I was. He asked me to help him find 'the Saviour'," she glanced at Emma, "so that he can convince her to break the Dark Curse that the Evil Queen had cast," she glanced at Regina, who clenched her jaw.

"When I tracked down Emma," Tink continued, "I found Baelfire as well," here, Tinkerbell swallowed as she lowered her eyes sullenly. "I told August who you were, Bae."

Emma studied the fairy's expression coolly.

"You were the one who suggested Neal send me to jail," Emma stated, watching for the fairy's reaction.

"No, August was the one who sent you to jail," Tink assured her. "I just came up with the idea for him to convince Bae to leave."

"It was you?" Neal asked, shocked. "Why would you do that?"

"Neal," Tink said slowly. "If you had stayed with Emma, she would have had no reason to go to Storybrooke, and she never would have found her family." She met Neal's gaze. "That's what you wanted for her, right? To find her family?"

Neal clenched his jaw.

"There were other ways it could've been done," he admitted slowly and Emma glanced over at him, trying to guess what he was implying.

"How did you find Storybrooke, anyway?" Regina asked. "The town was protected by magic, no one was supposed to be able to find it."

"Lucky I can sense magic, then, Your Majesty," Tink told the former Queen, "or you would never have got your son."

"How did you do it?" Regina insisted.

"My ability to sense magic helped me locate the shield that protected the town from anyone untouched by magic," the fairy explained. "When I entered, I found that Rumplestiltskin was looking for a child for the Evil Queen to adopt. I told this to August who said 'it must be fate' because he'd found out that Emma was pregnant."

"So," Tinkerbell finished, "I acted as a correspondent for 'Mr. Gold', and August helped keep track of Emma's progress at the prison and together we were able to ensure Henry's safe arrival to his new mother in Storybrooke."

"And you never told me," Neal repeated slowly. "You or August."

"August didn't tell you where Emma was imprisoned so you wouldn't be tempted to break her out," Tink told him. "If you had known you were going to be a father, you would've got her out for sure-"

"You're damn right I would have!" Neal shouted before taking a deep breath to regain his composure.

"And then Emma would never have given Henry up for adoption," Tink countered firmly but couldn't meet his eyes, "then Emma would've never gone to Storybrooke and the curse would never have been broken."

"Well," Hook interjected into the awkward silence, "I've had enough of revisiting the past for the week, so how about we get off this godforsaken shore and aboard my ship?"

"We can't leave yet," Neal told the group urgently. "My father-"

"We know," Emma told him gently. "He made a deal with Peter Pan to spare Henry's life."

"And if he hadn't have done that," Regina added, "we'd be able to leave by now."

Hook took a breath.

"No, you wouldn't," he told them all. "Peter Pan wants Henry, and whatever Pan wants, he usually gets. Believe me," he continued," even without the deal, if you had tried to leave, Pan would stop you."

"How right you are," a voice commented.

Turning, everyone was startled to find that they had suddenly become surrounded by the Lost Ones.

"Where did you come from?" David asked in surprise, wishing he had a sword in his hand.

"Peter Pan's fairies are very skilled at knowing how to keep hidden, as well as how to track those they want," Felix explained arrogantly as he stepped forward, "aren't they, Tinkerbell?"

Neal looked at the fairy he had called his friend growing up on this island.

"Tink?" He asked slowly.

"I didn't do this, Bae," Tink assured him.

"Peter Pan welcomes you back to Neverland, Baelfire," Felix greeted in a voice that was almost bored. "Your father has already paid a visit and is making himself at home."

"I'm just passing through, Felix," Neal told the teenage boy he remembered from his own time on the island. "But," he added, "I may stop by to say hello myself."

Felix smiled.

"Peter Pan looks forward to it," he told the former Neverland resident. "But, as you said, Captain," Felix turned his eyes to the pirate, "what Peter Pan wants: he gets."

"The deal's not done, yet," Neal hissed, pulling Henry closer to him. "My father's still on the dreamscape."

"But it will end," Felix reminded them all slowly. "And as you didn't make the deal, Pan wants to ensure you do not try to break it. So," he added "Pan wants a bit of insurance."

The groups tensed as a multitude of fairies from the island fluttered into view and the other Lost Ones revealed their weapons.

"You're not getting my son," Neal growled.

"Over our dead bodies," Emma added.

Regina said nothing, but a fireball erupted to life in her hand.

Felix's smile grew wider in anticipation, spreading his arms wide, inviting the attack.

"Let's play."

Regina made the first move, throwing a fireball towards Felix's face.

It was as if that had been a trigger, for then everyone took action.

David launched himself at the nearest Lost One, and they grappled for a few moments before David stood over the boy's unconscious body, claiming his sword as his own.

"Henry!" Emma cried out as a Lost One was grabbed her from behind. Stomping her attackers foot, Emma elbowed him in the sternum before turning to swing a right hook at the teenager's head.

"I got him," Neal took hold of Henry before punching the nearest Lost One, trying to get Henry to the longboat as Hook drew his own sword.

Tinkerbell shrank back to her natural size and added her magic to Regina's, trying to give Neal and Henry cover.

But she was just one fairy. Against about fifty others. It wasn't long before she was frozen by the magic of the other fairies and vanished.

Snow and Emma reached Neal and all three were trying to push Henry, who was in the longboat, into the surf, but were struggling as the fairies were using magic to pull the boat back onto shore.

Neal noticed the mooring line beginning to unravel into the ocean and was pleasantly surprised to see that another Neverland acquaintance was trying to help them by pulling the longboat into the water.

"Ariel!" He exclaimed. "Thank you!"

The mermaid winked as she pulled, though she was struggling to make headway as they were in quite shallow water and she couldn't get much thrust with her tail.

"Come on!" Emma screamed in frustration, but against the magic pull of the fairies, they weren't standing much chance.

"What about magic?" Henry asked his mother. "You saved the town, you healed Neal, can't you stop the fairies' pull?"

Emma paused. She didn't know.

"Worth a try," she thought.

Gold had told her that magic was about emotion. But right now, she was just feeling pissed off. And with the fight raging around her, she couldn't calm down enough to focus.

"Woah!"

The fairies had stopped pulling the boat back and instead was using magic to raise Henry right out of the boat.

"Help!" He called down as he struggled against the bonds he couldn't see.

"No!" Neal yelled. "Let him go, right now!" But he was out of fairy dust and couldn't fly after his son.

As one, about twenty fairies surrounded Henry, and in moments, they and the boy vanished into thin air.

"Henry!" Regina screamed.

"Don't worry, You're Majesty," Felix assured with a laugh. "We'll take good care of him."

Furious, Regina smashed her fist across the boy's jaw, drawing blood.

Felix stumbled back before smiling once more.

"See you soon," he told the group.

And with a flash of magic from the remaining fairies, the Lost Ones disappeared.

Silence reigned as those remaining looked about numbly.

"Henry," Emma whispered.

Regina's jaw clenched and she whirled towards Neal and Hook.

"What the _hell_ was that?" She demanded.

"I told you," Hook replied grimly, "the fairies here are slaves to Peter Pan. Their magic aids the Lost Boys in procuring the boys he requires to live and protects the island."

"And now they have Henry!" Emma exclaimed.

"We'll get him back, Emma," David tried to calm his distraught daughter. "I promise: we will get our family back."

"They won't hurt him," Neal was focusing on breathing, trying to stay focussed. "Pan's made a deal with my father, that means they can't do anything until he's out of the Dreamscape. It would be like breaking the rules of a game: and Pan loves games. He loves to win, but he'll play by the rules."

"What does that mean?" Regina asked, her patience lost.

"It means we have time to prepare," Neal told them.

"To fight Peter Pan?" Hook asked sceptically. "He's one of the most powerful magicians in the known realms, on par with the Dark One himself. We wouldn't stand a chance."

"Not without magic," Snow mused quietly.

"Well," David put forward, "we have one powerful sorceress," he gestured to Regina. "Maybe you can distract Pan long enough for us to get Gold out and Henry out of there?"

"What about me?" Emma objected. "I have magic."

"You have _something_, Emma," Snow clarified.

"And I helped stop the self destruct with it." Emma insisted. "And I healed Neal. "_And_ Cora couldn't take my heart."

"But you're untrained," Regina told her. "Pure emotion can work when you're focusing on _one_ thing, but in a fight, where you have to think of many things at once, you need more than that."

"Then train me," Emma suggested, facing up to Regina.

"What?" Snow asked.

"Train me," Emma told Regina more firmly. "Teach me how to use magic in a fight."

Regina regarded Emma cautiously.

"All right," she agreed slowly.

"Emma," Snow put forward quickly. "Are you sure this is something you want to do? I mean," she explained as her daughter rounded on her angrily, "I can completely understand you wanting to get your son back, but," she continued cautiously, "think about what magic did to Cora...to Regina... to _all of us_, at some point."

"Look," Emma growled. "Every single one of us has needed magic at some point to help us, and all of us were born in a land where magic is a part of life and _now_," she continued, "Henry is a prisoner in a land where even your _imagination_ comes to life. So _yes_, we need magic right now if we're going to face Peter Pan and come out of this thing alive. So you either help me get my son back, or get out of my way."

Snow was hurt that Emma appeared to think that she would purposefully try and stop Emma from getting Henry back.

"Hook," she asked, not taking her eyes off of her daughter's adamant gaze, "you wouldn't have a bow and arrows on your ship, would you?"

"Certainly, Milady," the pirate answered. "I acquired several sets in my battles with the Indians."

"I'll have a look," Snow stated. "I'll need to practise before facing Pan."

Neal met Emma's gaze.

"You should probably learn how to use a sword as well," he told her.

"I can teach you that, Emma," David put forward quickly.

"I was going to suggest I teach her, actually," Neal told the Prince.

"You?" David repeated. "I'm her father."

"True," Neal granted, "but I've lived here a long time, which means I have about a hundred years worth of sword experience over you, Your Majesty. No offence." He added.

David raised his eyebrows.

"We'll have to test that claim, I think," he stated.

"You two do that," Hook told them lightly. "In the meanwhile," the pirate added, turning to Emma, "If you wish to learn how to handle a sword, Emma, I'm more than willing to lend you mine."

That got both David and Neal's attention, and he suddenly found himself staring down two sword blades.

"She won't be handling _anything_ of yours, Hook," Neal hissed.

"Can we leave this display of manhood until _after _we get out of here?" Regina demanded, making her way to the long boat.

Neal slowly lowered the sword that had been left behind from the fight.

"What the hell are you doing?" Neal whispered, stepping closer to the pirate. "First, you took my mother away, and now, you're making a play for Emma? Do you enjoy tearing apart my family, Hook?"

The pirate captain met Neal's gaze steadily.

"I've never wanted to hurt you, Bae," he admitted. "But...perhaps we're simply more alike we think?"

Neal shook his head.

"I'm not like you," he told the pirate. "And what the hell was that?"

"Emma got to see you fighting for her," Hook told him softly. "And a man must always fight for what he wants. So I'll ask you, Bae," Hook put forward, "will you fight for Emma? Will you fight for your family?"

Neal's gaze never wavered.

"Always."

~..~..~..~..

Author's note:

So, what do you think?

I know that Peter Pan is going to have to get access to Henry at some point, but I really wanted to have him reunite with everyone for just a short ammount of time, before he got taken away.

I was thinking of having The Lost Ones reclamin Henry earlier, but I wanted Neal to see his son.

I had Neal flying, as Wendy had told Bae that children could fly in Neverland, so I wanted to show that the fairies in Neverland are slightly different than those from the Enchanted Forest. I was also thinking of having the group preparing for Peter Pan, and The Lost Ones coming for Henry right as Rumple wakes up, giving Henry time for a flying lesson, or for Snow to teach him to use a bow and arrow, but I figured Pan would be the type to want to keep him close, if there was a risk of him losing what he'd been searching for years for.

And yes, I was thinking of having a more for positive reunion between Neal and Emma, but I figured that, with Emma having her 'wall' up for eleven years, and Neal having only recently been shot by his fiance, before both he and Emma declared love for each other and being seperated by a magic bean portal...not to mention the fact that there's the slightly more pressing issue of Henry being a target of Peter Pan...I figured their actions would be a little more guarded towards each other, and I would let the healing touch and Neal's reactions to Tink's story and Hook's comments show what they're really feeling.

Some people had been asking me about how Tink found Storybrooke, and I couldn't think of a good place to put that story, so I placed it here, knowing that things are going to get pretty pressed for time soon.

As for Storybrooke, I wanted Belle to get Sydney out of the Hospital, as I really think he deserves to be free after all he went through in Season 1 for the Queen, only to be locked up. He and Belle have something of a common ground, I believe, as they both love people most others would consider 'lost causes'. The difference being, of course, is that Belle's love is reciprocated...

But still, as a genie, Sydney is probably the only person in Storybrooke at the moment with an extensive knowledge of magic.

I imagine that Regina has probably been keeping others in the asylum as well...I just don't know who. Some of you know of my Gaston theory, should I have him turn up? I mean, Jiminy cricket is in Storybrooke as a human, after being turned into something by magic, why not Gaston? Really, I just want to see the look on Rumple's face when he realises that Belle's had to deal with Keith and Gaston while he's been away...not really plot-worthy, I know, but I imagine it would be funny!

Speaking of Keith, I don't think he'd be a good sheriff, but I'm tired of new characters turning up for just one episode, and this is a way for 'Lacey' to come back and 'haunt' Belle, in a manner of speaking. I think King George is more of a manipulator anyway, so I think this plotline suits his character too. He gets other people to do his dirty work to put his enemies on the defensive or put them in a bad light. That's his plan with Keith.

My ideas for the next chapter:

So, we've got Emma having 'Magic Lessons' Neal's emotions are going to spill, I'm sure, because he's got a ton of things he wants to say, and he's gonna say them even if it's not the best time, and I've always loved the idea of a Neal-David sparring match (protective daddy-charming moments!), so I'm planning for that. We'll see more of what Belle and Sydney are going to do to find a way to contact their loved ones, and we'll also probably have Henry meet Peter Pan for the first time and maybe see where Greg and Tamara have been all this time.

I'm aiming for this Neverland-focused section to last about 11 chapters, as that's how many episodes there will be in the first part of season 3.

After that, I honestly have no idea...but we'll see!

Please review with your questions, comments and ideas, I love the feedback!


	10. Prisons and preperations

Author's note: Hi everybody! Thanks for your reads, follows, favourites and comments, I really appreciate it. Sorry it's been a while since I've updated, I've been without the internet for a few days. Here is chapter 10 and I hope you enjoy reading it.

~..~..~..~..

Henry had been on the beach, or actually floating above it, one minute, and the next, he felt himself falling in the dark.

"Aaah!" he yelped in pain as he landed, the smell of damp dirt filling his nostrils.

Sitting up, Henry looked around as his eyes adjusted to the dim light.

It looked as if he was inside a tree. The walls were curved and made with seamless wood, and roots reached along the floor towards him. The fairies were gone, and instead, the room was lit by small lanterns that hung from the low ceiling.

However, looking closer at the lantern nearest to him, Henry's eyes widened as he spied a tiny fairy inside, thin silver chains were manacled around her wrists as she was forced to continually hover in the centre, as the chains were not long enough either way to allow her to reach the sides of the lantern to rest on the frame. Her wings beat feebly with exhaustion.

"Oh my god," Henry whispered, feeling sorry for the fairy as he realised every lantern in the room was lit with fairy light.

"Can I help you get out?" He asked.

The fairy shook her head, too tired to speak.

"It's a punishment," a voice explained, causing Henry to jump, "for breaking the rules."

Henry looked around, not knowing where the voice had come from.

"Up here."

Looking up, Henry noticed one lantern blinking on and off and hurried over to see Tinkerbell fluttering inside.

"Fairies always have to serve Peter Pan," Tink explained, her light strengthening once more as she'd gained Henry's attention. "And if you defy him, well..." she pulled at one of the chains attached to her wrist, causing the lantern to wobble. "You get lantern duty."

"For how long?" Henry asked slowly, afraid of the answer.

"As long as Peter Pan thinks is fitting," Tink answered dully. "Once, I had lantern duty for five days."

"Five?" Henry gasped. "What for?

"For my part in helping your father to escape Neverland," Tink answered slowly.

"A blessing in disguise it seemed," a voice said grandly and Henry spun around and felt his heart stop as he beheld a boy unlike any boy he'd ever seen.

"For if Tink hadn't helped him get to the Indians, and to his ticket to freedom," Peter Pan continued as he and his multitude of shadows approached Henry with a curiosity approaching hunger, "then you would have never been born. Henry..." Pan smiled and Henry swallowed as he realised who this must be, "it's a _great_ pleasure to finally meet you."

"Peter Pan," Henry whispered, before trying to stand up taller, facing his enemy just like Prince Charming always did.

"In the flesh," Pan grinned. "How's my first impression?"

"Creepy," Henry admitted in a flat tone. This Peter Pan was _nothing_ like the any of the stories he had heard of before.

Pan laughed and the sound sent a chill going down Henry's spine as the fairy lights seemed to dim as the shadows' darkness seemed to fill the room.

"Yes," Pan granted, "I suppose so. But when Rumplestiltskin fails his test," he continued, "I won't need my shadows anymore. You, Henry," Pan reached out to grip Henry's shoulder, "you will be all the power I'll need."

Henry jerked his arm out of the ancient boy's grip.

"You won't win," he told Pan surely. "If anyone can pass a magical test, it's Rumplestiltskin."

Peter Pan smirked.

"I can hear the belief in your voice," he whispered. "And it is that belief Henry, which makes you so powerful, especially here. And _that is what I want_."

"You're not gonna get it." Henry told him. "Rumplestiltskin _will_ pass your test. My family and I _will_ go home safely."

"You believe that?" Pan prompted quietly.

"Good will win," Henry stated. "Good will always win."

Pan actually smiled wider. "_Good _is a matter of _perspective_, Henry," he whispered before turning to the fairy struggling in the lantern.

"Okay Violet," he said casually, "you're time is up." Clicking his fingers, Pan released the fairy from her silver chains and she fell, exhausted.

Henry leapt forward to catch her before she hit the ground and she lay on the palm of his hand, her wings hanging limply from her shoulders.

"You promise to follow the rules now, Violet?" Pan asked the fairy.

Violet nodded her head shakily.

"Good, now go home," Peter Pan flicked his fingers outwards, and the fairy disappeared.

Henry looked up to the lantern, where the thin silver chains hung limply, like threads of spider's web, from inside the frame.

"I'll find someone else to light the room for me," Pan said carelessly. "That's the thing with fairies," he told Henry with a cocky grin. "You have to keep them under your thumb." He turned to look around at the other fairies within their lanterns. "So pick it up, the rest of you!" He shouted. "We're one short now, so you have to work harder!"

The lanterns shone a little brighter as the fairies quickened the pace of their beating wings.

"Now, Henry," Pan smiled at the boy, "come with me."

Henry swallowed as he followed Peter Pan down one of the many tunnels branching off the room.

Turning back to look over his shoulder, Henry could just see the fairies silhouetted against the frames of their lanterns as they hovered within, unable to rest.

~..~..~..~..

"Okay," Emma announced the longboat bumped against the side of the Jolly Roger. "We need to arm up and get ready as soon as possible. Who knows when Gold's gonna get through that 'Dreamscape' thing?"

"Pan does," Hook answered as he secured the ropes ready to help them raise the longboat in order to board the vessel. "And believe me, Emma, when The Dark One has emerged from the Dreamscape, we will know about it."

A knock drew Neal's attention over the side of the boat, where Ariel had been swimming, escorting them to the ship.

"Ariel," Neal told her, "thank you for trying to help my son back there."

Ariel smiled gratefully before pointing to herself, and them up to the ship.

"You want to come on board?" He asked her.

The mermaid nodded.

"Henry promised Ariel she could come with us," Snow reminded them.

"And I think she should," David added. "Ariel has helped us several times here. We owe her."

"Well, I believe it is my decision to make, seeing as it's _my_ ship," Hook announced tersely before turning to the redheaded mermaid in the water. "And while I may not be overly fond of mermaids," he admitted, "I am happy to welcome you aboard, Ariel."

Smiling, Ariel reached up and Neal carefully lifted her aboard the longboat.

Snow had to fight a smile, watching Emma's expression as Ariel wrapped her arms around Neal's neck as the longboat was pulled up to the railing of the ship.

"How do you expect a mermaid to be able to stay on this ship?" Emma asked as they boarded. "A tail isn't going to be much use up here."

Hook looked over to Regina.

"Care to help with that, Your Majesty?" He asked her.

"Me?" Regina raised her eyebrows sceptically. "Why should I help her?"

"Well, she did save your son from the Lost Ones," Hook reminded the Queen. "And Henry did promise Ariel that she could come with us." The pirate smiled knowingly. "Will you not help your son keep a promise?"

Swallowing, Regina cast her eyes over the mermaid who was now sitting on the railing of the ship.

Reluctantly, she extended a hand, and tentacles of purple smoke reached out towards Arial to envelope her completely.

When the smoke cleared, Ariel sat on the railing wearing a pale blue dress, her new feet could be seen poking out from under the hem, her toes brushing the deck of the ship.

Slowly, Ariel raised a leg to look at it in wonder.

"You're human, Ariel," Neal told her gently.

Smiling excitedly, Ariel gripped the rail tightly to carefully place her feet on the wooden deck beneath her, waving away Neal as he attempted to help. She wanted to do this on her own...

Slowly, Ariel placed her weight onto her new legs, which shook slightly as she tried to find her balance.

Taking a deep breath, Ariel let go of the railing, standing on her own two feet, unaided. Swaying slightly, Ariel still beamed proudly.

She was human!

As she tried to step forward, however, she stumbled like a foal and Neal had to catch her.

"Whoa, easy Ariel," he told her. "It'll take you a while to get used to your legs."

"Allow me, my dear," Hook gallantly offered his hand, seeming a lot more disposed toward Ariel now that she was without a tail.

Carefully, Ariel took the pirate's hand and slowly took her first steps.

"You'll get your sea legs yet, lass," Hook assured her. "It just takes practice."

"Yeah, great," Emma cut in, "so why don't you help her do that, Hook, while the rest of us prepare for a fight?"

Without waiting for a reply, Emma turned and strode across the deck.

"Regina?" She called back over her shoulder.

Frowning slightly, Regina turned to begin the lesson with her unlikely student. But before she took a step, she felt David's hand on her shoulder.

"Regina," he said earnestly, "thank you. Thank you for agreeing to teach Emma. She needs it."

"We all do, if we expect to beat Peter Pan," Regina replied as she made her way over to Emma.

"Alright," David continued, looking up to view his wife and Neal. "Let's have a look at Hook's armoury."

~..~..~..~..

Henry followed Peter Pan through a series of tunnels until they came into a dark room, it's ceiling made up of the twisted roots of a tree.

A faint glow illuminated the room, and Henry noticed that it came from a large stone bowl that lay on a table.

Pan allowed Henry to move forward into the room, approaching the bowl.

However, when Henry reached it, he was surprised to see Mr. Gold laying on a hard bench beside it, apparently asleep.

His eyes widening in shock, Henry realised the faint light from the bowl was showing Mr. Gold walking down a long corridor, appearing completely drained as he placed his hands on the wall to keep himself upright.

"Is this the dreamscape test?" Henry asked Peter Pan warily, observing how exhausted his grandfather looked, and the tearstains streaking his face.

"Yes, it is," Peter Pan told the boy. "He must endure every painful memory he has ever had over the centuries of life he has lived." He smiled as he came to stand beside Henry.

"You see how exhausted he is?" He told him. "See how his emotions and past actions are slowly draining is spirit? The test is nearly over and soon he will be so drained that his body will die, and I will become the Dark One myself."

Henry's head shot up.

"_That's_ the deal you made?" He demanded to know.

"If he emerges unscathed, you and your family may go free and I will take his power," Pan informed the boy, "which will require that he die. And if he is driven insane, or even killed by the dreamscape test, I will get his power, as well as yours."

Henry stared into those ancient black eyes in a deceptively young face. He took a deep breath.

"So either way: I win," Pan finished with a smile. "And I like to win."

"This time," Henry told him, "you're going to lose."

Surprisingly, Pan's smile grew wider.

"You are a true believer, Henry," the ancient boy whispered. "And while the power of the Dark One would be great, I have spent _centuries_ looking for you. I can't wait to claim my prize." Pan smiled hungrily as he gripped Henry by the chin.

"The game's not over yet," Henry told him. "My grandfather is the most powerful magician _ever_. If anyone can beat you, _he_ can."

Peter Pan smiled.

"We'll see about that," he whispered. "Because, as you say: the game's not over yet."

~..~..~..~..

Neal led David and Snow down to the small armoury, where Hook kept all of the weapons that he acquired during his raids.

"Okay," Neal announced as he opened the door to see the racks of swords, daggers, bows and other weapons that filled the room, "take your pick."

"So," Snow put forward as she perused a selection of bows, trying a couple for draw strength, "anything about Pan you can tell us, Neal? About how we can fight him? Why he wants Henry?"

"The guy's a demon," Neal replied shortly. "He controls everything on the island. He's like a darkly powerful, self centred child." He continued as he scanned Hook's collection. "But he loves games though. That's why my father's really the only one who can face him. They're both good at games."

"Do you think your father can beat him?" David asked.

Neal paused, thinking.

"My father's a survivor," he answered quietly. "He always has been."

Neal's eye was caught by a short sword that hung on a wall. It was his old sword, the one which Hook had given to him when he first arrived on the Jolly Roger as a teenager.

Picking it up, he unsheathed the blade. It was still in good condition.

It was too small for him to use now, however, as the sword was made for a smaller arm. However, it may be closer to Emma's size.

Keeping hold of it, he grabbed another sword, testing it for balance.

"You sure you can remember how to use one of those?" David asked him as he tested a blade himself.

Neal met his gaze, smiling slightly.

"I think I can handle it," he answered. Making his selection, Neal headed towards the stairs, only to be grabbed by David as he tried to brush past.

"I meant what I said before," David told him, "we'll have to test your claim."

"You really want that sparring match, don't you?" Neal asked him.

"With the man who claimed to love my daughter, before leaving her pregnant and in jail: absolutely," David answered firmly. He'd been so focussed on saving Gold, and then fighting Cora, and then saving the town from Greg and Tamara, that he'd never got the chance to confront this man, who had taken his daughter's heart and innocence before sending her behind bars.

Neal swallowed.

"I love Emma," he told the Prince quietly. "And while August convinced me to leave her years ago, I will fight for her now. And if that means I have to start with the guy who magically posted his newborn daughter to a land where she grew up thinking her parents never loved her… I am more than happy to have that chat."

Brushing past, Neal made his way out the door.

Snow watched her husband's face, seeing self righteous anger mixed with guilt.

"David," she began slowly.

"He hurt Emma so much," David said quietly.

"And so did we," Snow admitted slowly. "Emma grew up alone and unloved, you said it yourself. Until she met Neal."

"He's a criminal who broke her heart," David grumbled, pressing his fingers into the migraine making its way across his head.

Snow thought she may have to try another tactic.

"I can just see how their relationship could have worked back home," She mused aloud. "Emma, a teenage Princess growing up with a reasonably sheltered life, yearns for adventure, so sneaks out of the palace one day, maybe disguised as a peasant, where she encounters Neal, who is -"

"A thief," David muttered.

"I was a thief," Snow reminded her husband. "And if you recall, we met because I stole from you."

"So, what?" David appealed. "I should be thankful that our daughter grew up learning a life of crime?"

"I'm saying," Snow clarified calmly, "that stealing was something that I did, that Neal did, that Emma did, but it is not who we really are. Do you love Emma or I any less, knowing that we used to steal?"

David sighed.

"No," he admitted. "Your past experiences are what turned you into the women you both are today."

"Exactly," Snow said, taking David's hand in both of her own. "So why judge Neal on the things that he did in the past? Shouldn't we, instead, try to learn who he is now?"

David sighed again, closing his eyes.

"It's not the fact he was a thief," David clarified, "it's the fact he broke her heart."

"And now he's fighting for her heart again," Snow told David. "He came here, wounded, to help find the woman he loves and to save his son."

"Emma gave her heart to him once," Snow reminded her husband. "And I'm willing to bet that she'll do it again." Snow waited until David met her gaze. "So shouldn't we trust our daughter's judgement before giving our own? Because, if we don't..." Snow trailed off fearfully, "we may lose her again, and I couldn't bear to have that happen."

David thought for a few moments before nodding slowly.

"Alright," he granted as he let out a breath. "I'll try to get to know him."

~..~..~..~..

Henry looked through the tree root bars of the prison cell that Peter Pan had Felix shove him into and into the forest grove beyond.

Henry figured it a more apt name would be 'fairy glen' as the place was filled with fluttering fairies, weaving in and out of the branches of the tall trees, drinking from flowers, and he could even see what he could only describ fairy school, in the higher branches of a tree nearby.

He'd past other boys in similar tree-prisons before they reached this one. The fairies uprooted a tree from the forest with magic and as he was shoved inside, the fairies shaped the tree roots around him so that they were too close for him to slip out.

"As you're our guest of honour, Peter Pan wants you to have luxury accommodation," Felix had told him as they'd emerged from Peter Pan's tree house. "And with you in the fairy grove, you'll always be under his eyes."

Now, Henry wrapped his hands around the tree roots that served as his prison bars, staring out at the fairies in fascination.

"Hello," a voice said softly.

Turning, Henry noticed a fairy standing on a forked tree root nearby.

"It's Henry right?" The fairy prompted, and Henry realised it was the fairy he'd seen earlier in Peter Pan's tree house.

"My name's Violet," the fairy introduced herself as Henry stepped closer. "Tink told me about you. I knew your father, Baelfire, while he was here."

Henry was tempted to ask for her help, but was reluctant to do anything that would make her go back to lantern duty.

"Peter Pan has been looking for you for centuries," Violet continued, taking a seat on the tree root. "But we all know that if he gets enough power to allow him to leave Neverland himself, then all the other realms are in trouble."

"My Grandfather's gonna beat him," Henry told her. "No one knows how to deal better than Rumplestiltskin."

"But no one can play games like Peter Pan," Violet added gently. Looking around furtively, Violet threw something which Henry caught quickly.

Opening his hand, Henry found a small drawstring bag.

"Fairy dust, courtesy of Tinkerbell" Violet explained quietly. "You may need it."

"This can make me fly?" Henry asked eagerly.

"Just think lovely thoughts," Violet smiled, "and you'll be walking on air."

~..~..~..~..

Hook stood at the prow of his ship as Neal and David squared off. Ariel sat on the ship's rail, watching.

"Remember to keep moving your feet, Bae," Hook advised Milah's son.

"I know how to do this, Hook," Neal shot back, not taking his eyes off David. "I don't need your help."

The pirate lowered his eyes before regaining his composure, turning to David.

"How long have you been waiting for this, You're Majesty?" He asked the man. "For the chance to challenge a suitor for your daughter's hand?"

"Twenty eight years," David said softly, the sword blade spinning expertly through the air as he got the feel for the weapon.

Hook smiled slightly at the intense focus on each man's face.

"Well then," Hook began grandly, placing himself in the position of referee, "let the match begin: On guard!"

David was the first to attack, lunging forward, only to sidestep at the last minute, lifting his blade towards Neal's head.

Neal however, smoothly parried the blow, moving his sword in a sweeping, circular motion, he hit David's side with the flat of his blade as he moved quickly out of the way.

"You shouldn't attack with anger," Neal told the prince. "It leaves you open."

A smile pulled at Hook's mouth.

"First point goes to...Neal," he announced.

Ariel clapped her hands.

David could feel his teeth grinding. As he came forward again, this time testing how his opponent moved, David found that Neal's technique was very different to what he was used to fighting against. He was accustomed to duelling knights. Hook, he knew, was practiced in a more fencing style. Yet Neal duelled in a flowing, circular motion, one move smoothly changing into another as he attacked, deflected and moved around the deck of the Pirate ship.

David had to admit, Neal was indeed, very good.

But so was he.

"Ah!' Neal hissed in pain as David's blade nicked his arm. A thin line of blood appeared along the cut.

"Brilliant control there, Prince Charming," Neal said sarcastically.

"That was for putting my daughter in jail," David said. He had put just as much sting into that attack as he'd wanted to.

"Point to David," Hook announced.

David attacked once more, sweeping Neal's blade aside, he made a swipe at the man's neck, only to be parried as Neal's blade simply completed the circle started by his sweep. David felt Neal's free hand grasping his sword arm, and suddenly, he felt cool steel against his throat.

"That's for putting Emma in a box," Neal hissed.

"Point to Neal," Hook announced coolly, though his eyes were becoming more focused as the match became more heated.

"I had to send Emma away," David defended himself as Neal stepped back to ready himself for the next round. "She would have been cursed with the rest of us if I hadn't." Surging forward, David attacked furiously, using his sword to vent the anger that he hadn't even realised he'd been locking up.

"And I was trying to get Emma back to you," Neal countered as he redirected David towards the railing, causing him to stumble, to prevent a collision.

"All she had ever wanted was to find her family," Neal told David. "When August told me about the curse, I thought it would be selfish to keep her away from the one thing that could get her family back. So I let her go."

"You broke my daughter's heart!" David yelled and Neal found himself backing up quickly under the borage of attacks. Neal may have had a hundred years more sword experience, but David was a father on a mission.

Neal pressed a hand into his side as David's blade cut across his skin.

"Point to David," Hook announced. This was certainly turning into an interesting match.

"I know I did!" Neal shouted, knocking David's blade to one side before kicking him backward into the centre of the deck. "And it has killed me _every day_."

"Oh, really?" David asked him. "Because if my True Love were in prison, there wouldn't be _anything_ in the world that would stop me from getting her out."

"And yet you'd send your daughter away before she's even an hour old," Neal countered.

The glass box and his twin brother's face flashed across David's mind, and he hesitated.

That pause cost him, as Neal was able to get under his guard to disarm him before sending him to the ground.

Neal panted as he pointed both swords at David's chest.

"You know what I saw in the mist?" Neal hissed at David. "I saw Emma, and the deal she made with my father. She helped a couple gain custody of their child when everyone else was saying the best thing would be to separate them all, 'cause they didn't have any place to raise it. Except the backseat of a car. It reminded me so much of me and Emma. August and Tink made me leave her, and the prison guards convinced Emma to send Henry away...but that _wasn't_ our only option. I see that now."

The points of the swords wavered slightly, as Neal locked eyes with Prince Charming himself.

"I should have fought for her," he admitted. "We could've raised Henry together, and_ I_ should've been the one to bring Emma to Storybrooke on her twenty eighth birthday," he let out a breath in a sigh as he lowered his eyes guiltily. "But I let August convince me to leave her. It was the biggest mistake I've ever made."

Steadying the swords once more, Neal kept them both pointed in David's direction. David stayed still, allowing the man to talk.

"I don't care what you think of me, _Prince Charming_," Neal admitted slowly. "But I do love Emma and now that I have a second chance, I _will_ fight for her now. Her and Henry."

Slowly, David got to his feet, reclaiming his sword carefully as he continued to meet Neal's determined gaze.

Neal swallowed as the silence stretched out, but never broke eye contact.

"I believe you've won this match, Neal," David said softly, extending his hand.

Cautiously, Neal reached out and David shook his hand firmly.

"But if you break my daughter's heart again," David told him, "I will make you pay dearly."

~..~..~..~..

"Hey."

Henry's head turned, searching, trying to locate the voice.

"Over here."

Henry eventually spotted another tree prison and his eyes widened.

"Guess running away didn't work out for you, huh Henry?" Greg asked Henry as Tamara gripped the bars of their cell. "You still ended up in the same place we did."

"Lucky you did turn out to be who we thought," Tamara granted grudgingly. "At least that way, Greg was able to be healed."

Henry stayed silent. These were the two people who had tried to destroy his home and his family. These were the people who had brought him to this place where Peter Pan wanted to kill him and his grandfather was risking his power, mind and very life in order to save him.

"You knew Peter Pan wanted me?" Henry asked. "Is that why you said I was important?"

"We were only told to bring you," Tamara admitted. "We just didn't know why."

"Sounds like you needed to ask more questions," Henry told them.

"We had belief," Tamara stated, though the fire had left her voice. "Isn't that what you have, Henry? Belief?"

"Yeah," Henry admitted. "That's why Peter Pan wants me, isn't it?"

Tamara smiled without humour.

"I thought belief was enough," she told the boy, getting as close to the bars as she could, as if hoping she could slip through. "But it turned out to be nothing like what I thought."

"What, you didn't know you were getting rid of magic in the name of Peter Pan?" Henry spat.

"No," Greg admitted. "We didn't."

"I thought we were getting rid of magic in our world because it didn't belong there," Tamara whispered, her eyes blank and far away. "But we were just sending the magic to Peter Pan, in order to increase his power."

"And he was using people like us to find you, Henry," Greg supplied. "Because he couldn't always use his fairies in places where magic didn't exist, he needed believers like us to do his dirty work for him."

Tamara rested her head against the tree root bars of her prison cell.

"I wanted to get rid of magic, to keep our world safe," she whispered, an ironic smile pulling at her lips, "and I find out I'm working for possibly the most magical being known to any world."

It was only then that Henry noticed that, unlike his cell, which was surrounded by the moss covered stones, flowers and ferns that made up the forest grove, the ground surrounding Tamara and Greg's cell was bare, dry earth, where only stunted or dying plants grew.

Looking around, all the other trees in the grove were dark brown and covered in moss, vines and flowers. Yet Tamara and Greg's tree had its bark peeling away, revealing pale grey wood. The roots, rather than an earthy brown, were instead as black as ink. Veins of the same black colour could be seen climbing their way up the trunk of the tree, to where the foliage still appeared green, as if trying to get as far away from the dark fingers that threatened to take the life from them.

For the tree was clearly dying, of that, Henry was certain.

"We're here because of you, you know," Henry told the two of them firmly.

"Magic did this," Tamara replied, her voice full of bitterness.

"No, it was _you_," Henry insisted. "If you had just left things alone... If you had just let magic exist where it wanted to, you wouldn't be killing everything you touch."

"Magic doesn't belong in our world," Tamara hissed.

"Who says?" Henry shot back. "Magic is in your _heart_. It exists because you _believe_ in it, not because you _see_ it. So why shouldn't it live in our world too?"

"It's a poison," Tamara hissed. "Why else is our tree dying? Magic."

Henry's palm smacked the wooden walls of his cell in frustration.

"You're tree is dying because you're losing your belief in magic," he told them. "You believed in something and it wasn't what you thought, so now you're losing your belief. If I lost _my_ belief that quickly, Storybrooke would _still_ be cursed right now."

"You're just a kid," Greg's voice was patronising. "You're not old enough to understand."

"No, you're a grown up, so you've _forgotten_ how to understand," Henry countered. "You both believed in magic because you both saw it. But to _really_ understand what magic is, you need to believe in it _first_."

"I don't want to understand it," Tamara told him sourly. "I don't want anything to do with it anymore."

"And that," Henry replied calmly, "is why your tree is dying."

~..~..~..~..

"Okay", Emma whispered, getting herself ready.

Are you sure about this, Emma?" Snow asked her daughter in concern.

Emma nodded, determined.

"I need to do this," Emma said firmly.

"Now, remember, it's just like how you did with the knotted rope," Regina reminded her student. "Mind focused. Intent clear."

Emma nodded, taking a breath before locking eyes with her mother.

"Let's do this," she said.

Slowly, Snow lifted her bow to take aim at the area just to the left of her daughter's head. Emma had learnt how to freeze an attack quickly, as Regina threw balls of knotted rope, and it was now time for Emma to practise as if she were truly in danger. Regina had suggested she throw knives at her, but Snow had intervened, saying that she'd do it.

For while Snow didn't say it, she didn't trust Regina to miss. And if Emma struggled with this exercise, she wanted to be the one to ensure her daughter's safety.

Breathing deeply, Snow focused on her target, one of the series of marks they had made in the wood.

Emma tried to focus on the arrow, rather than her mother/friend's face, bringing the image of the arrow freezing in mid air into her mind's eye. Trying to make it as clear as possible, picturing every detail she could.

'Now make it a reality,' she told herself.

Snow loosed the arrow as Emma brought up her hands.

Regina had to admit, that she rather enjoyed watching Snow White loose an arrow towards the Saviour.

And while she kept her aim steady, Snow couldn't help the small cry that escaped her lips as the arrow flew towards her daughter.

But Emma didn't miss a beat.

Snow gasped as her arrow froze in mid air, just to the side of Emma's head.

"Emma," Snow whispered as a proud smile appeared on her lips.

"I did it," Emma echoed, still, she didn't move from her spot.

"Well," Regina corrected as she approached, "the arrow may be frozen," she granted. "But look where it's placed."

Confused, Emma turned her head to look at the arrow, and in doing so, she realised what was wrong.

"The arrow's passed the line of your head," Regina told her firmly. "If Snow had actually been aiming at you, you would not have frozen the arrow in time to save your life."

"But," Snow added, not wanting Emma to be discouraged, "you've now proven that you can stop a direct attack. All it takes now, is practise."

"Okay," Emma said, reaching up to grab the arrow, handing it back to her mother. "Let's practise."

"Do you really think you can master this in time?" Regina asked Emma sceptically as Snow moved off to take her position once more. "You could be more suited to learning to sword fight."

"We _have_ swords," Emma shot back. "David, Neal and Hook are perfectly capable with a sword, they don't need me. _Magic_ is what we need against Pan, so that's what I'm going to use. And _yes_," Emma answered Regina's question. "I do believe that I can be ready in time."

"I hope so," Regina whispered. "Because if you're not, it will be Henry who pays the price."

"Then step aside so I can get on with this," Emma told Regina tersely.

Carefully, Regina stepped to one side as Snow took aim once more.

"Hey!"

The three women looked around to see David, Neal, Hook approach, Ariel, still a little shaky on her legs, was using Hook's arm for support.

"What is this, William Tell?" Neal demanded. "What's going on here?"

"Emma's practising freezing an attack using magic," Snow explained. "I'm aiming my arrows to the side of her, and she has to freeze them."

"I offered to throw knives," Regina added smoothly, "but for some reason, Snow White doesn't trust me to miss."

"I wonder why that is," Hook commented drily.

Ignoring the pirate, Emma turned back to Snow White.

"Let's do this," she called. "I'm ready."

Snow took aim.

"Uh..." Hook made to comment, but David gripped the man's arm, shaking his head.

Snow loosed her arrow, and Emma froze it once more.

"Whoa," Neal commented, impressed.

"You still took too long," Regina told Emma firmly.

Frustrated, Emma grabbed the arrow where it hovered, just to the side of her neck.

"Again!" She demanded, holding the arrow out to Snow to collect.

"Maybe we should take a break," Snow suggested.

"No!" Emma insisted. "I need to get this in order to save Henry. He's the only thing that matters right now."

"Then perhaps protecting yourself isn't enough motivation for you," Regina put forward thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked.

"Well, you're letting your own mother shoot arrows at your head," Regina stated calmly. "So you clearly don't really care what happens to you in the upcoming fight."

"No," Emma admitted slowly. "I just want to get Henry home."

"Well then," Regina continued with a smile. "Protecting yourself is not your motivation then, so why use it to practise?"

Reaching out a hand, Regina magically pulled Neal's sword out of his grasp and into her own.

"Perhaps you need to practise protecting someone else," Regina stated before magically throwing the sword towards Neal.

"No!" Emma cried out, reaching a hand forward instinctively.

Neal stood, still as a statue, as the sword froze inches from his chest.

"Well now," Regina smiled at her student. "That's more like it."

Grabbing the arrow Emma still held in her hand, Regina used magic to send it flying towards Snow.

Snow ducked, though she needn't have bothered, as the arrow froze in midair, a full foot in front of her.

Summoning a fireball this time, Regina launched it at David, who stood still, and was rewarded as the fireball stopped, hovering above the deck before his eyes, before being snuffed out.

"Now you've got the idea, Emma," Regina told her, smiling despite herself. "You can call yourself a magician now."

Emma smiled back.

"What's next?" She asked, eager to move on to the next lesson.

~..~..~..~..

Belle searched through the various items Rumple kept in his shop. Sidney had gone to Regina's house as soon as they'd left the hospital, stating that he'll find a way to find Regina with her magic, in the mean time, Belle had searched Rumple's home, trying to find something useful.

After many hours of searching, Belle had found numerous books that may help, but all too soon, it had been time for the debate for the Sheriff's position.

The debate had been much like her debate with Spencer.

Keith and Fredrick had each said their opening lines before the true debate began.

Belle had to admit, Spencer had done a good job with Keith. His words didn't sound so threatening coming from Keith's mouth-he was certainly a good puppet.

But, just as Belle had hoped, many people had only ever know Keith as the drunk 'Sheriff of Nottingham', whereas Sir Fredrick had been known by many as the selfless knight who had sacrificed himself for his king.

He had won the sheriff's position before the afternoon was out.

But, knowing what kind of man Spencer was, Belle convinced Fredrick to make Keith his Deputy. At least this way, Belle thought Spencer may still try to use Keith as a puppet and so prevent Spencer using another innocent soul as the means to an end, as well as give Belle and Fredrick a greater insight into what Spencer was up to.

Now, Belle was searching Rumple's shop, trying to find anything more that could help her make contact with Rumple while in another world.

"Belle?" A voice called as the tinkling of the shop's bell sounded.

Walking into the main room, Belle found Sydney stepping forward, holding a book high in triumph.

"Regina's spell book," he explained, presenting the volume to her. "I knew she'd still have it somewhere."

Belle took hold of it, admiring the ornate silver cover and the purple stone in the centre.

"It used to be Rumplestiltskin's, you know," Sydney added. "He was her teacher."

"Do you know if there's anything in here that'll help?" Belle asked, thumbing through the pages.

"To be honest: I don't know," Sydney admitted.

"What about Regina's vault?" Belle asked, turning to pick up Henry's storybook, where it lay open to a picture of the Evil Queen standing before a wall with dozens of small drawers, where she kept her hearts.

"All she keeps there are the hearts she's collected," Sydney informed Belle. "And while a person's heart may be powerful, it can't transcend realms."

Belle was becoming frustrated, although she shouldn't be surprised. Rumple had spent centuries trying to find a way to travel between worlds to find his son.

_Rumple... _

Sighing, Belle opened her bag to look at the dagger that she kept with her at all times, the name 'Rumplestiltskin' was still emblazoned along the blade.

'He's still okay,' she assured herself, careful to keep the dagger hidden from Sydney's view.

Instead, Belle withdrew another book. One she had found in Rumple's home library.

"I found this, this morning," Belle told Sydney, showing him the book before turning to the page she'd marked. "Do you think this could work?"

A frown appeared between Sydney's eyes as he read the page.

"The potion of Haunted Souls?" He read aloud.

"It puts you into a Dreamscape," Belle explained. "Rumple's on a Dreamscape."

"And you think that," Sydney caught on, "if you go into a Dreamscape yourself, then you'll be able to make contact?"

"It's worth a try," Belle said.

"No." Sydney told her, adamant. "It won't work."

"How do you know?" Belle asked.

"Because no two Dreamscapes are the same," Sydney told her patiently. "You would be on your Dreamscape, and Rumplestiltskin will be on his, and there's no guarantee that you'll cross paths. Even if you do," Sydney continued, "the only way to come out of a Dreamscape is to finish it, and people have lost their minds or even died, during a Dreamscape."

Belle's eyes widened.

"Rumple could die?" She asked, although the way Rumple had acted when he visited her had confirmed the possibility.

She glanced once more at the dagger in her bag.

Yes, Rumple's name was still there. He was fine.

He was fine.

"Belle," Sydney began calmly, "no one understands more than me what you're going through right now, but I promise you, that using this potion when you don't know enough about magic to know what will happen, will only end up backfiring on you. Besides," he added, "only a fairy knows how to make this potion perfectly. And I doubt the Blue Fairy would make this for you."

Belle took a deep breath, wishing that she'd paid more attention during her stay at the Dark Castle, so that she would know more about magic now.

"So, what do you suggest, Sydney?" Belle asked.

The former genie looked down at the book he held thoughtfully, before turning the pages.

"I think I know a potion that may help," he muttered as he searched quickly, hoping it was in the tome he held.

After a few minutes of silence except for the rustling of paper, Sydney stopped.

"Here it is," he announced, turning the book to show Belle.

"A Projection potion," Belle read.

"When you drink it, your body falls asleep, allowing your spirit to travel anywhere you like," Sydney explained. "It's not like a Dreamscape or a Sleeping Curse, where your spirit has to travel to a specific place. You can control where you go and your spirit can return whenever you like."

It sounded perfect, but Belle did know enough about magic to know that it came with a price.

"What's the catch?" She asked.

Sydney took a breath.

"While you can return whenever you like, you body must be kept safe." He explained slowly. "For if your body's killed while your spirit's absent, you're spirit will be forced to live in between worlds for the rest of eternity."

Belle paused to think.

She knew of no one who wanted her dead, except maybe Spencer. But even so, if she could control where her spirit travelled, she would be at Rumple's side in an instant. It wouldn't take very long...She just needed to ensure that he was alright. Once she could be sure of his safety, she could ask how she could help them all get back home.

Belle nodded to herself, making a decision.

"Teach me how to make a potion, Sydney," Belle told the genie.

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: So, what do you think?

I really wanted Henry to be able to meet Peter Pan in this chapter, and I think that, with all the magic that Henry is familiar with, he would be very capable in facing someone like Pan.

I also wanted to show Peter Pan actually doing something cruel, as he is the villain in this story, so that's when I got the idea for 'lantern duty' as a punishment for the fairies that don't do what he wants them to.

As much as I don't like Tamara and Greg, I figured I should show where they've been this whole time: in prison in Neverland. And with Belief being so powerful in Neverland, I wanted to show what would happen if you began to lose that belief. And, as with most people, when what you belief to be real doesn't turn out the way you thought, you begin to lose belief. As is the case with Greg and Tamara, however as Neverland bring your beliefs to life, losing your belief has a very big impact on their environment.

The spiel I had Henry give them about how 'believing is seeing' is something _I_ believe to be quite true, and as Henry is 'the truest believer' it is something that I believe he would say, even to people he considers 'evil'.

I hope you all liked the sparring match between Neal and David! I think both of them wanted to vent their anger, frustration and regret, and their sparring match was their excuse to do that. David wanted to get the measure of who Neal was, and the best way to do that, in his mind, would be to see how he fought.

As for Emma, ever since Cora couldn't take Emma's heart, I had hoped that she would get 'magic lessons' from either Rumple or Regina. I was a little confused that Emma, having no idea what she was doing, was able to stop the self destruct when Regina, the most powerful magician next to Rumplestiltskin, could not. Why hadn't Emma tried to learn more about her magic before then?

Not that I was unhappy that Storybrooke was saved, of course! I just find it 'convenient' that even with no training in magic, Emma can do magic perfectly when she has no idea what she's doing.

I couldn't bear the thought of Keith being Sheriff of Storybrooke, but I believed Belle would be smart enough to see the wisdom of having Keith as Deputy, especially with Fredrick keeping a close eye on him.

I also think we're seeing a bit of Lacey's influence, as Belle is no longer wary of magic anymore. I was trying to think of ways she could contact Rumple, as he had been trying to transcend realms for centuries. I thought of the 'Projection' potion as it wasn't what Rumple had wanted, so he'd never use it, but the potion is exactly suited for Belle's purpose.

In the next chapter, I'm planning to have everything culminate, and we'll see whether Rumple emerges from the dreamscape, mermaids and storms, magic beans, and...other things which I don't want to mention or I'll give the game away.

Please review!


	11. The Endgame

Author's note: Hi everybody! Thanks for your reviews and comments, I LOVE the feedback. Here is chapter 11, and as you can probably tell from the title, it is my last chapter, as I think that this is where 'season 3 part 1' will end on the show.

I hope you enjoy reading it!

~..~..~..~..

Rumple knelt on the stone floor of the corridor that represented his memory. His breathing came in shaky gasps. His muscles trembled and his eyes had long since run out of tears to shed.

But the memories he had experienced were more recent, and he knew he must be almost finished.

"Just a bit longer,' he told himself. 'You can do this. Save Henry... and then maybe Bae will finally be proud to call you his father.'

Using the wall for balance, Rumple got back on his feet, readying himself as the next door opened.

~..~..~..~..

Neal and Emma were squaring off on the deck, Emma holding Neal's old sword.

"Bet you've been looking forward to this," Neal grinned. He and David had finally convinced Emma to take a break from 'magic school' to learn the basics of swordplay. Now, it was time for her first real sparring match.

"Oh, yeah," Emma admitted, eager to vent some of her frustration.

"You do realise, Emma," Hook commented, "that you're holding Neal's sword?"

Emma sighed. "Yes, I realise that Hook," trying to ignore the innuendo in his voice.

David was trying to ignore it as well, watching carefully from the sidelines. Neal had proven to be a pretty good teacher, and Emma was a good student, picking up the basics quickly.

"Adjust your stance, slightly, Emma," Neal came to stand beside her to demonstrate and Emma tried to copy him.

"You need to be able to move quickly." He continued. "So stay light, on the balls of your feet."

"Remember to relax your shoulders," Neal added. "Think of the sword as just an extension of your body. Instead of blocking, you parry. Instead of punching, you thrust."

"Okay!" Emma yelled, wanting to get on with it. "Will you stop? I'm perfectly capable of handling your sword." Then she winced, as she realised what she'd just said.

'Wow,' she cringed, 'Hook is a really bad influence on me'.

The pirate in question was grinning.

"I believe Henry is a living testament on how well you can handle Neal's sword," he told the woman with a wink.

"Alright, that's enough," David said firmly, trying to get the picture out of his head.

Emma could feel a blush creeping on to her face as she faced Neal once again.

"Shut up," she told him fiercely, seeing the look on his face.

"I didn't say anything," Neal replied innocently.

"Maybe I should teach you, Emma," David suggested, stepping forward.

"I believe Neal has proven perfectly able to teach your daughter, Sire," Hook smirked.

"Hook," Emma warned.

"Are you going to deny it Emma?" The pirate asked.

Emma closed her eyes.

"Can we knock off the sideline comments?" Emma remarked, ignoring Hook's question before getting herself focused again.

"Ready, Emma?" Neal asked

Emma nodded.

"Ready."

Neal attacked. Not nearly as fast as when he'd fought David, of course, as Emma was still learning, but just fast enough to force her to think quickly.

Emma blocked, pushing Neal's attack out wide.

"Move your feet," Neal told her, stepping diagonally forward so that Emma had to move out of range.

Neal swept his blade up towards Emma's face, and she raised hers to protect herself.

"Don't try to force me back," Neal instructed as he felt Emma pushing against him. "Remember, the best way to avoid an attack-"

"Don't be there," Emma finished, stepping diagonally forward and turning slightly so she was beside Neal, yet his pressure on her blade caused him to 'stumble' forward as his weight then went off balance.

"Better," Neal congratulated as he turned back to face his student.

"You could've stabbed him in the back," Hook suggested.

"That's not Emma's style," Neal told the pirate firmly.

"Come on," Emma encouraged. "Let's keep going."

Smiling slightly, Neal attacked again. Emma parried, this time launching her own attack.

In attacking, however, Neal noticed that Emma had lowered her guard.

Getting under her sword arm, Neal stepped forward, inside Emma's guard, until they were almost nose-to-nose.

"Careful," he told her as Emma instinctively tried to step back, only to find Neal's blade resting along the base of her neck and shoulders.

Trapped, Emma met Neal's eyes.

"Only let your guard down, if you want someone to get inside it," Neal told her softly.

"I'm inside your guard," Emma countered, trying to ignore the way her heart was hammering in her chest. 'It's just from the fight' she told herself firmly.

"True," Neal granted. "But who's in the better position?"

Emma considered the fact that the she was off balance, all her weight on her heels with her sword blade unable to reach Neal in her current position, whereas Neal was completely steady and his blade was at the back of her neck.

"Alright," she conceded, and Neal stepped backward, freeing her.

David had to grit his teeth as he watched. He may have allowed Neal to try and win Emma back, and he knew that all the points that he was making were valid for the lesson, but still... David didn't know if it was Hook's earlier comments getting to him, but that still didn't make it any less tempting to punch Neal in the face

He cast a glance at Snow, who gave him a look that said plainly: _don't start._

Sighing, David turned back to the lesson as Emma and Neal faced off again.

The ship lurched suddenly, as if being hit by a strong wave, and everyone grabbed onto something to steady themselves.

"What was that?" Snow asked, her eyes on Hook.

Hook however, was looking at the sky. The wind had picked up and the clouds were gathering quickly as large raindrops began to fall.

The ocean, which mere minutes ago had been calm, began to swell as waves rocked the ship.

"All hands to the sails!" The captain ordered and everyone ran to take up positions at the ropes.

"What's happening, Hook?" Regina demanded to know as the captain headed to the helm.

"Pan," Hook answered shortly, blinking water from his eyes as the rain hammered onto the deck.

"My father must be nearly out of the Dreamscape," Neal shouted over the howl of the wind. "We need to get to land."

"That may be a little difficult at the moment, lad," Hook answered.

"That's probably the idea," Emma muttered as she made sure the life lines were tied securely to the mast.

Looking into the tumultuous waters below, Ariel spotted shapes moving in the water. Getting Baelfire's attention, she pointed down.

Neal felt a sinking feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the heaving tide.

"Mermaids!" He shouted in warning.

Hook's head shot up and he cursed under his breath.

"David, Bae, at the cannons!" He ordered.

Concerned for her sisters' safety, Ariel hurried to Hook as fast as she could, tugging on his arm in objection.

"I realise you're worried for your sisters, lass," Hook told her tersely as he fought to keep his ship on course. "But I'm worried about my ship and those aboard it." He met the mermaids gaze fiercely. "And what do you think your sisters would do to you when they see you've grown legs?"

Ariel swallowed, knowing the answer but hating to admit it.

"Now is the time to choose which side you're on, Ariel," Hook told her. "Are you a human, or a mermaid?"

On the deck, David and Neal worked together, fighting the wind and rain to tie the cannons to the railing to hold them steady.

"How's your aim?" Neal asked David as he loaded the gunpowder, careful to keep it safe from the water.

"Better than yours, I'm sure," David yelled over the wind. He didn't like the idea of killing, but if these mermaids were as bad as he'd been told, David knew that it would be life or death.

"Let's test that," Neal yelled, lighting the cannon.

Taking aim, David targeted a mermaid who was leaping out of the water towards the side of the ship.

BOOOM

The cannonball caught her square in the stomach, sending her flying back into the rolling waves with a splash that couldn't even be heard in the howling wind.

"Nice shot!" Neal clapped a hand on David's shoulder.

"Bae!" Hook yelled. "Port side!"

Turning, Neal ran over to the left railing, where he spotted mermaids riding a wave that rose above the ship's deck.

Loading a cannon, Neal took aim at the lead mermaid, but barely had time to take his shot before the wave crashed over the rail.

"Hold on!"

Emma held tight to the main mast as water hit her like a truck, tilting the ship wildly.

Squinting her eyes against the rain, Emma noticed that, while her group had managed to keep their positions, the wave had allowed two mermaids on board the ship.

"You must be David," one of the mermaids eyed the Prince with appreciation. "My name's Alana."

"I've killed a siren before," David informed the mermaid before him as he drew his sword. "I'm not afraid of you."

"But I don't want you to be afraid of me, Prince Charming," The mermaid told him, her black hair falling across her shoulders and brushing the deck as her purple tail beat against the wet wood. "I want you to _like_ me."

And she began to sing.

With the wind and thunder as strong as they were, only David could here this mermaid's voice...and it was the most beautiful sound that he had ever heard.

Wordless and haunting, the song sounded as strong as the ocean currents with all the mesmerising beauty of a full moon.

David barely registered the fact that his sword was slipping from his grasp.

_"That's it,"_ and while Alana's song never wavered, he could hear her soothing voice inside his mind. _"You're mine."_

~..~..

"Baelfire?"

Neal swallowed as he locked eyes with the mermaid in front of him.

'Uh-oh,' he thought grimly, fear washing over him, like the wave that had dumped onto the ship's deck.

"My, my," the mermaid smiled, tossing her blond hair over her shoulder. "You've grown into quite the man, haven't you?"

"And you haven't changed one bit, Andrina," Neal told her drawing his sword slowly.

"I'm glad you remember me," Andrina smiled as Neal dropped his sword on the deck and approached her slowly.

~..~..

Snow shot an arrow at a mermaid trying to tear a hole in the side of the ship, sending her falling back, screaming.

"Milady!"

Snow looked up to where Hook struggled with the wheel and Regina was throwing fireballs over the side of the ship at the mermaids below.

"I believe your husband needs help," the pirate explained, gesturing to the foredeck.

Looking forward, Snow squinted through the rain and felt her jaw drop as she spied a mermaid kissing her husband, who was making no attempt to resist at all.

The mermaid pushed David against the railing, causing him to tilt over so far, that any moment, he would fall over the edge. But her husband didn't seem to even notice.

"It's mermaid song," Hook explained. "He's enchanted, you have to break it."

'Gladly,' Snow thought, loading her bow and taking aim, being sure to accommodate for the wind.

"Ahh!" The mermaid yelped as the arrow cut across her shoulders.

"Get off of my husband!" Snow yelled as she followed her arrow, kicking the mermaid away from David and sending her skidding across the deck.

"No!" David objected, pushing Snow out of the way and rushed to the mermaid's aid.

"Are you alright, Alana?" He asked her, concerned.

"I think so," Alana answered, smugly looking past him to Snow's wide eyes. "Protect me, Prince Charming."

David turned to Snow, furious.

"How could you do something like that?" He demanded.

~..~..

Neal kept the smile on his face as he knelt down in front of Andrina.

"I remember a lot about you, Andrina," he told her.

"Like what?" She asked, her voice becoming husky.

'Don't give her the chance to sing,' Neal reminded himself as he thought quickly.

"I remember, that time in the lagoon, and it was a full moon..." Neal's voice got lower as he picked Andrina up off the deck carefully and sat her on the railing.

The mermaid smiled.

"I didn't even need to sing to enchant you, Bae," Andrina remembered proudly, trailing her fingers across his shoulders.

"Well, teenage boys are probably easier than men," Neal granted, reaching back with a foot for his sword, in case he needed it, but kept the mermaid's focus on him.

"Men, no matter what the age, are always easy," Andrina smiled as she gripped the front of his shirt to pull him in for a kiss.

"Not always," Neal told her flatly before shoving her overboard.

Andrina's face was shocked as she fell backwards, recovering quickly to fury. Flipping herself, she grasped hold of the railing.

Snarling with rage, Andrina tried to pull herself up, but Neal backed off, picking up his sword.

However, just as Andrina pulled herself up, Emma rushed forward and stabbed the mermaid in the chest, causing her to fall back, shrieking, into the waves below.

"Thanks," Neal told her.

"What the hell was that?" Emma demanded to know.

"Singing is a mermaid's most powerful weapon," Neal explained quickly. "They only use it when they don't think their prey will submit any other way. So," he continued, not sure whether he liked the accusing glare that Emma was throwing at him, "if you make them think they don't have to sing, they won't, and then you can overpower them long enough to get away and keep your life."

Thinking that a similar tactic should be used on Emma right now, Neal pointed to where David was.

"Unlike your dad, who's now enchanted," he finished. "We should probably help him."

~..~..

"You're enchanted, David," Snow told her husband. "What you're feeling isn't real."

But David's eyes were blank as he retrieved his sword from where he'd dropped it.

"David!" Emma called out as she and Neal rushed over. "That's your wife you're about to attack!"

Something flickered across David's face, and he hesitated.

That was all the time Snow needed to rush forward and press her lips against his.

"No!" Alana shrieked as their lips parted and David smiled into his wife's eyes.

"Snow," he whispered. True love's kiss once again proved it could break any curse.

Furious, Alana turned to Neal and her eyes widened with recognition.

"Baelfire," she whispered, a smile overcoming her scowl.

Neal raised his hands defensively.

"Now, Alana..." he began slowly, but it was too late. Alana began to sing.

"Hey-" was all Emma had time to get out before the ship lurched on another wave, sending her sprawling.

Shedding the life line that tethered him to the ship, Neal headed straight for Alana, who continued her song.

"Neal!" Emma called out, but the wind snatched her voice away.

Reaching Alana, Neal lifted her into his arms. Pulling him in for a kiss, Alana pulled Neal right over the railing and the two of them toppled over, dropping into the ocean below.

"No!" Emma screamed, racing to the railing.

"Emma, don't" David cautioned his daughter as she climbed on to the rail.

"I'll be fine," Emma told him, taking out the vial with the mermaid tears that Ariel had given her. Tilting her head back, Emma poured who-knows-how-many tears into her mouth before diving.

As soon as she hit the water, Emma could feel the strength in her tail as she powered through the water after Alana and Neal.

The waves no longer felt terrifying, but exciting, like a rollercoaster, which Emma instinctively knew how to ride with ease.

Catching up with Alana quickly, Emma forced her to loosen her grip on Neal.

Alana appeared so shocked at seeing Emma with a tail that she let Neal go.

"How are you a mermaid?" Alana demanded, and Emma realised that Alana's lips weren't moving. Instead, Emma could hear her voice in her head.

"Never mind,' Alana continued before Emma could answer her. "We've separated your group now, anyway."

Blowing a kiss, Alana turned quickly and swam off.

Now that Alana had let Neal go, he was now struggling for breath under water, but still attempted to follow Alana.

Gripping his arm tightly to allow Neal to breathe using her ability, Emma pulled him towards the shore.

"Let me go," Neal objected as they reached shallow water and he could stand. "I have to find Alana."

"You're not going anywhere," Emma told him, hoping her tail would go away soon.

"Try to stop me," Neal challenged and made to head back out into the water.

Reaching out, Emma grabbed Neal's hand and pulled him back, causing him to lose his balance and fall with a splash.

"You're enchanted, Neal," Emma told him and was relieved to discover that she hadn't used up all the mermaid tears from the vial, as her legs were reforming once more. "You got hit with mermaid song, you said yourself if was their strongest weapon."

"I have to find Alana," Neal repeated, trying to get up, only to have Emma grab him once more and drag him to the shore.

She was so wet now that she no longer felt the rain, but the thunder and lightning continued to clash above them.

"And what about your son?" Emma demanded, trying to make him snap out of it. "Henry? You came here, wounded to find him, and now you're going to drown yourself over some mermaid you're not really in love with?"

Neal's eyes flickered to Emma's face for the first time.

"Henry?" He repeated. His voice faint as if he were trying to grasp a memory, but couldn't quite reach it.

"And," Emma gathered her courage and stepped in front of Neal, blocking his path to the sea, "what about me?"

Emma held Neal's gaze as his blank eyes seemed to struggle to focus on her face.

"You told Hook you'd fight for me," Emma told him slowly. "I heard you, on the beach before. Was that true?"

Neal seemed to be fighting some internal struggle, Emma could see it in his eyes.

Taking a breath for courage, Emma stepped forward and slowly leaned in to brush her lips against his.

Almost instantly, Neal's muscles relaxed and he responded to the kiss.

As they kissed, the clouds parted and the sea began to calm as the storm passed as suddenly as it appeared. Not that Neal noticed. Hell, an earthquake could've happened and he wouldn't have noticed.

"Emma," he whispered as their lips parted.

"Neal?" Emma opened her eyes to confirm her hopes, and yes, his eyes were completely clear, and focused on her.

"It worked," she whispered.

"Of course it did," Neal smiled happily. "I love you, Emma."

"I love you too," Emma laughed with a mixture of relief and exhaustion before becoming serious.

"Now let's go save our son."

~..~..~..~..

Regina looked up in confusion as the sky suddenly cleared.

"What's happening?" She wondered aloud.

"The storm's passing," David stated the obvious as the ocean settled.

"But why?" Regina queried, doing her best to keep her patience. "If Pan didn't want us to reach land, why stop the storm now?"

"Maybe that wasn't his goal," Snow suggested. "Maybe he wanted to separate us again. Emma and Neal have gone overboard," she raced toward the helm. "We have to make sure they're okay!"

"Oh, they made it to land, sure enough," Hook reported, scanning the coastline with his telescope.

"Emma was in mermaid form, after all," he continued, collapsing the scope and placing it in his jacket, "we shouldn't be surprised. They're headed into the jungle, to where Peter Pan lives."

"As should we," Regina stated firmly, using magic to lower a long boat down into the water.

"But Neal was under an enchantment," David reminded them, remembering how powerfully it had worked on him. "He could be a liability now."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that, Sire," Hook told the man as he stepped down from the helm to lower the anchor. "As it turns out, your daughter seems to believe in happy endings after all: she was able to break Neal's enchantment."

David's expression changed from worry to wonder.

"True Love's Kiss?" He confirmed.

"Well," Snow turned to the pirate, "that explains the look on your face. Disappointed, Hook?"

"Hardly," Hook spat. "I couldn't be happier for them. But more to the point," he continued quickly, "is that it was _that _exact moment when the storm cleared." He raised his eyebrows as the others on board considered this new information. "Perhaps the Saviour is stronger than we think."

"Regardless," Regina interjected, "we need to take advantage of this calm weather, and get to shore. Time to face Peter Pan and get Henry home."

Regina just hoped that Henry would want to go home with her.

~..~..~..~..

Neal and Emma made their way through the jungle, with Neal leading the way, cutting vines and branches as he went to clear his path.

"Do you know where Peter Pan lives?" Emma asked him as they went.

"I know of _one_ entrance," Neal answered, "but only the Lost Boys and the fairies know precisely where he lives, and all the ways to get there. Fortunately," he continued quickly, "I happen to know a few fairies."

"And good fairies we are too," a voice commented.

Neal and Emma looked around until Neal spotted a fairy standing on a tree branch nearby.

"Violet," he greeted with a smile of relief.

The fairy waved.

"Hi Bae," she greeted shyly and Emma tried not to roll her eyes. She failed.

"Where's Tink?" Neal asked, worried for the fairy he'd last seen on the beach.

"Lantern duty," Violet explained sadly, and Neal closed his eyes in sympathy.

"Can you take us to Peter Pan?" He asked the fairy urgently, who lifted away from the branch in order to hover before his eyes.

"I could, if it were Peter Pan you were actually seeking," Violet answered slowly. "Henry, on the other hand-"

"Where is he?" Emma demanded.

"In the fairy grove," Violet answered.

"Take us to him," Neal ordered.

Turning, Violet led the way through the thick trees.

~..~..~..~..

Henry studied the bag of fairy dust in his hands. This was how he could get away from Peter Pan. This, and the magic beans. But the timing had to be perfect. After all, the deal wasn't completed yet. Rumplestiltskin still had to make it through the Dreamscape.

But, Henry had a feeling that it was nearly time.

"Henry?"

Whirling around, Henry scanned the forest surrounding his cell hopefully until he spotted Violet flying through the trees, followed by his parents.

"Mom!" He cried out, reaching through the bars. "Dad!"

"Henry," Emma and Neal reached their son, hugging him as best as they could through the tree root bars of his cell.

"We've gotta get you out of here," Neal told his son firmly.

"We still can't go yet," Henry reminded them. "The deal-"

"We know," Emma told him. "But we can at least get you ready to go. I don't want to stay in this place for longer than needed."

Neal nodded to the fairy fluttering above their heads.

"Violet?" He gave her leave.

'I wonder how much lantern duty I'll have to do for this?' Violet wondered as she used magic to twist the tree roots out of shape to allow Henry enough room to squeeze through the roots and into his parents' waiting arms.

"Neal?"

Neal froze at the sound of that voice.

Turning slowly, he spied Tamara and Greg, in a similar prison to Henry's.

Tamara gripped the bars of her cell, staring at Neal with wide eyes.

"You're alive," she whispered.

"Yeah," Neal told his ex flatly. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"I'm not disappointed," Tamara told him quickly. "I'm glad you're alive."

"Why?" Emma asked, and Neal could hear a growl in her voice. "So you can feel less guilty about being the _cause_ of all this?"

"I swear," Tamara pleaded, "I swear I had no idea that we were working for Peter Pan. I'm so sorry, Neal."

"Really?" Neal asked tonelessly. "Good." Gripping his son's shoulder, he turned to leave. "Let's get out of here."

"Wait!"

Neal should have ignored the call, but turned instead, seeing Greg standing beside Tamara, gripping the bars desperately.

"You have to take us with you," Greg told them.

"Why would we do that?" Neal asked them.

"Aren't you supposed to be the good guys?" Greg put forward, trying to smile. "You're supposed to help people in need, right?"

"But you're the bad guys," Henry stated.

"You tried to kill August," Emma began to list their crimes. "You tortured Regina-"

Henry swallowed as he stared at Greg and Tamara, feeling his teeth grind together.

"You nearly destroyed our whole town and you tried to kill _Neal_," Emma finished.

"We had no idea," Tamara protested. "Pan _used_ us!"

"You mean like how you used me?" Neal asked, stepping towards Tamara's cell.

The woman swallowed.

"Neal," she whispered, begging.

"You used me," Neal repeated, his eyes never leaving her face. "You _shot_ me, and you kidnapped my _son_." He came to a stop before their cell. "Give me one good reason why we should help you now."

Tamara gazed at Neal with tear filled eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Neal," she whispered.

"Nah," Neal shook his head in disgust. "Not good enough."

"Neal?" Tamara called as he turned away.

Tamara removed the ring around her finger and held it out to him, as if it were supposed to be some kind of peace offering.

But Neal shook his head.

"Keep it," he told her. "I don't want anything to remember you by."

"You know," he told the pair over his shoulder as he returned to his family. "There are ways to leave Neverland. Maybe, in a hundred year or so," he added with a humourless smirk, "you'll find a way out of here."

Taking his son and Emma by the hand, he led them away through the forest.

~..~..~..~..

Belle checked the book for the third time. The potion certainly looked the way it was supposed to...

"Okay," Sydney instructed as the potion began to turn the soothing colour of indigo. "Put it into the vial, quickly."

Placing a vial carefully underneath the cooling potion, Belle turned the small handle to allow the liquid to drip into the small glass vial.

"So," Belle studied the purplish-blue liquid cautiously, "this is it?"

"That's it," Sydney told her gently putting a stopper in the vial before handing it to her. "You're first potion. But," he added, "there's only enough in that vial for one person."

Belle took a breath, but couldn't deny a feeling of pride.

_She had made her first ever potion._

"Okay," she nodded moving into the back room where she sat on the small couch that was set up there.

"I'll be as quick as I can," Belle told the genie. "And if this works, we'll make another potion for you to make contact with Regina."

Sydney nodded.

"I'll keep watch over you," he told the young woman before him.

Settling back on the pillows, Belle removed the stopper.

'Rumple,' she whispered her love's name in her mind.

Sydney watched as, closing her eyes, Belle drank the contents of the vial in one go, before slumping against the pillows at her back.

Collecting the vial from where she'd dropped it, Sydney adjusted Belle's body so that she was lying more comfortably on the couch.

"Good luck, Belle," he told her softly.

~..~..~..~..

Emma looked over at Neal hesitantly as they made their way through the trees.

"Are you okay?" she asked him slowly.

Neal took a deep breath as he considered...was he okay?

"Yeah," he answered, though his voice was husky. "Yeah, I'm okay." He turned to catch Emma's eyes.

"I have you again," he told her softly.

Henry's head shot up.

"Are you guys back together?" He asked excitedly.

"Not now, Henry," Emma told the boy quickly. "We have to get you back to the ship, ready to go."

"You _are_!" Henry declared, ecstatic.

"You still got the beans, Henry?" Neal asked his son, avoiding the question, but unable to keep the smile from his face. He wasn't sure if he and Emma truly were back together now, but if their kiss on the beach was anything to go by, it was only a matter of time.

First things first, though...

"Yeah," his son confirmed, producing the bean pod. "And..." he added dramatically, holding up the bag of fairy dust as well.

"Where did you get this?" Neal asked his son, spotting the bag.

"Violet gave it to me," Henry told his father proudly. "This should get us to the ship faster than on the ground, right?"

"Right," Neal grinned. "You two take it and go."

"Wait, a minute," Emma protested. "What about you?"

"I have to get my father out," Neal told her, worry creeping in to his voice. "The deal was, that if he makes it out of the dreamscape, Henry's family gets to leave safely. And my father's part of the family. There's still a chance to save him."

"We'll go with you," Henry said quickly.

"No," Emma and Neal answered in unison.

"Henry, you're the reason we came here," Emma reminded her son. "We need to get you out of here safely."

"But you can't do that until the deal's done," Henry reminded his mother. "So until then, _please_: let me help."

"No, sorry buddy," Neal told his son as he poured some of the fairy dust onto the palm of his hand. "Your mom and I are together on this one: you need to get out of here."

And with that, he blew some of the fairy dust over his son's head.

Immediately he began to rise into the air.

"Cool!" Henry laughed. "Look, I'm flying!"

Neal then turned to Emma.

"Seriously?" She asked him.

"Just think happy thoughts," he told her.

"Like what?" Emma asked.

"I can think of one," Neal gently blew some of the fairy dust into Emma's face before leaning in to gently press his lips against hers.

Emma was so absorbed in the sweetness of the kiss, that she didn't even notice that she was floating into the air.

As their lips parted, Neal smiled, pointedly casting his eyes downward.

Gasping with shock, Emma realised she was hovering above the ground.

"Knew that would work," Neal said cheekily, before letting Emma go to drop onto the ground. "Now go, both of you."

"I knew it!" Henry crowed, punching the air triumphantly.

"Not now, Henry!" Emma grasped her son's hand and the two of them began flying back towards the coast.

~..~..~..~..

"Where did they take Henry?" Peter Pan asked Tamara as she stood fearfully in her cell.

"I don't know," she admitted. Peter Pan and the Lost Ones had arrived, claiming that the Dark One had nearly finished his Dreamscape and it was time to take Henry away to prepare for what he called 'the transfer'.

But when they found his cell empty, they had turned to Greg for answers, who admitted that Neal and Emma had taken Henry away.

Peter Pan tilted his head in a curious fashion.

"Can someone remind me: why did I keep these two alive?"

"Because you wanted to make sure that they'd brought the right boy," Felix answered.

"Well, we know that Henry is the one I want now," Pan continued thoughtfully. "Do we still need these two?"

Felix grinned.

"No."

"Wait," Greg spoke up quickly. "We can help you get Henry back. And in return," he added, "you can let us go."

Peter Pan took a step closer to their cell, smiling.

"I think you'll find that _I'm_ the one who makes the rules around here," he told them. "And I'll tell you what," he continued as if struck by inspiration. "I'm going to be able to leave this place soon. And I'd like to play one last game before I do."

Tamara swallowed.

"What game?" she asked warily.

Pan smiled amicably.

"Hide and seek," he answered. "It's one of my favourites."

Tamara cast her eyes over the Lost Ones, noting how each one had begun to smile in a way that send a chill running down her spine.

"How do we play?" She asked. "We hide and you seek?"

"Something like that," Pan held out a hand, showing three bean pods lay on his palm.

"I can see by the look on your faces that you know what these are," Peter Pan smiled. "So here's the game: I'll hide these bean pods on the island. Have no fear, they'll be reasonably close by," he assured them. "If you can find even _one_ of them before the sun sets today, you can leave here freely and unharmed. In the meantime," Pan turned to look at Felix, who grinned as he tightened the grip on his bow in anticipation, "Felix and my Lost Ones will be searching for you, too." The ancient boy's smile was cold. "If they find you, well...they'll have fun, I'm sure."

Tamara swallowed as the Lost Ones laughed in anticipation.

"And if the sun sets before either happens?"

"You die," Pan answered coolly.

And with that, the three bean pods disappeared off Pan's hand.

"There goes your tickets home," he told them, opening the tree cell for the pair to exit cautiously.

"I suggest you start running."

"You can't-" Greg began to protest angrily, but Pan cut him off.

"Oh, but I can," he told them. "And you'd better hurry. It's only a couple of hours until sunset."

Gripping Greg's hand tightly, Tamara pulled him after her as she began running for the trees.

Pan turned to Felix.

"Give them twenty minutes head start," he told him, "then start searching."

"What about the boy?" Felix queried.

"Oh, don't worry," Pan smiled. "I'll find him myself."

~..~..~..~..

Neal approached the great tree warily. He'd only been in this place once before, back when he was a teenager on the island. Pan had asked if he had wanted to join the Lost Ones in his service. Bae had refused.

Running his hands gently over the bark of the tree, Neal eventually found the right knot.

Pressing it, an ominous creak could be heard as a door nearby opened, revealing only darkness inside.

'Papa,' he thought to himself. 'I'm coming.'

Cautiously, he entered Pan's tree house.

Moving through the dark passageways, Neal could smell the damp earth as he went deeper underground.

Spotting a light ahead, he quickened his pace until he found himself in Pan's throne room, lit by fairy lanterns.

"Tink?" he called softly, remembering what Violet had told him earlier.

One of the lanterns began to blink, and Neal hurried over to see Tinkerbell, chained and forced to hover in one place, her wings beating steadily.

"Hi Bae," she panted, managing a smile despite her weariness.

"Tink," he whispered softly, wanting to free her and the others, but knowing that only Pan could do that.

"I'll be free soon enough," she whispered.

"Thank you for helping earlier,' Neal at least tried to show his gratitude.

"Anything for you, Bae," Tink told him fondly.

"Where's my father?" Neal asked the more pressing question, not knowing how much time he had. "Do you know?"

Tink summoned a ball of light in her hand, throwing it into the room beyond her small prison.

The light grew until it was as big as a human fist, and began to float toward one of the nearby tunnels.

"Follow it," Tink told Neal. "It'll take you to him."

Raising a hand, Neal reached up until Tink was able to stand on his palm, having a moment's rest from her hovering.

"Thank you, Tink," Neal told her.

Tink smiled tremulously. It was worth lantern duty, for this.

"Anything for you, Bae," she told him.

As Tinkerbell resumed her hovering, Neal quickly moved to follow the ball of light that would lead him to his father.

~..~..~..~..

Regina, Charming and Snow were making their way through the forest. Hook and Ariel remained on the Jolly Roger, ready to help them make a quick getaway if needed.

"Do you even know where you're going?" Regina asked the prince as David used his sword to cut at the vines that threatened to trip them up.

"Hook said that Peter Pan lived in the centre of the island," David explained his reasoning. "So, I'm betting that's where Henry will be."

They soon emerged into a small clearing, where Regina was thankful to be free of the claustrophobic trees for a few moments.

"And then what?" Regina asked him sceptically. "You're going to charge in with your sword drawn, demanding Henry back?" The Queen scoffed. "Peter Pan would kill you on sight, if the Lost Ones don't reach you first."

"So what's _your_ plan?" Snow asked.

"We find one of the secret passage ways Hook told us about," Regina told them. "Then we're able to get into Pan's lair without being spotted."

"And how are we going to find one of those?" Snow asked. "That's the whole point of a secret passageway: It's a secret."

"Then what's your idea: _talk_ to Pan?" Regina shot back. "He'd kill us all."

"We need to be smart about this," Snow told her. "One wrong move, and Henry's gone."

"You think I don't realise that?" Regina demanded. "The _only_ reason I've been going along with everybody is for _Henry_. And that's precisely why _not_ charging in," she shot a glare at David, "is the right way to do this. Because if Pan realises that we're taking Henry before the deal's done: _we're done_."

"Look out below!"

Henry and Emma suddenly dropping through the trees to land lightly on the forest floor interrupted the brewing argument and Regina rushed forward to hug her son in relief.

"Henry!" She cried, wrapping her boy into her arms.

"Mom, did you see me?" Henry exulted as he hugged his mother. "I was flying!"

"Yes, I saw," Regina brushed her son's hair out of his face to smile at him.

"I just had to think happy thoughts," Henry told her, "just like in the stories."

"What did you think of, Henry?" David asked his grandson, smiling.

Releasing his mother slightly, Henry gazed around at all of them.

"My whole family together," Henry answered, turning to meet Regina's eyes. "All of us."

"And what about you, Emma?" Snow put to her daughter. But as a blush began to spread across Emma's cheeks, Snow thought she could guess the answer.

"Emma and Neal are back together," Henry announced happily to Emma's embarrassment.

"Really?" David queried, turning to Emma, who avoided everyone's gaze.

"I...uh..." she stammered as her voice trailed off awkwardly.

"She started to fly when Neal kissed her," Henry added with a grin.

"Okay, kid, we've gotta get going," Emma said quickly, regaining her senses. "Neal's getting his father out and we're meeting at the ship."

"Fine," Regina granted, holding Henry tighter. She hadn't had much contact with her son while in Neverland, and she was determined not to give him up, at least without a fight.

"Let's go."

"Not so fast," a voice called, and everyone turned to see Peter Pan leaning casually against a nearby tree.

"The game's not finished yet," he told them all. "You're not going _anywhere_."

~..~..~..~..

The light led Neal to a dimly lit room, where it disappeared. Looking around, Neal spotted his father lying beside a large stone basin.

But that wasn't all he saw.

"Belle?" He asked in disbelief.

The young woman looked up in surprise, her eyes widening in shock.

"Baelfire," she whispered. "You're alive?"

"Yeah," Neal confirmed and he moved forward slowly to find that Belle wasn't in fact, solid. He could see through her body to the wall behind her, and she seemed to be giving off a faint glow.

"How about you?" He asked her.

"It's a projection spell," Belle explained, "I've never done magic before, but I'm glad it worked." Turning back to gaze at her love's face, Belle reached out to hold her hand just above Rumple's cheek.

"I had to make sure that he was alright," she whispered.

Neal realised that this wasn't the amnesiatic Belle, who his father had spoken so emotionally to over the phone. This wasn't the cursed Belle, who enjoyed watching her father humiliate a man on the street. This was the _real_ Belle. The woman who truly loved his father, enough to start breaking his curse, according to Henry's storybook.

Neal came closer to view his father as he slept. His skin was pale and his face was ragged. Looking into the stone basin, he saw his father, huddled against the wall of a stone corridor, sobbing and shaking.

"The Dreamscape," Neal whispered.

Belle nodded tearfully, her heart breaking as she watched the man she loved in so much pain.

"He can't hear me," she told Neal.

"Papa," Neal called into the bowl, thinking it may be because Belle wasn't really in the room. "Papa, can you hear me?"

The picture didn't change at all.

Gripping the edges of the bowl, Neal focused all of his attention on contacting his father.

"Papa!"

~..~..~..~..

Rumple pressed his back hard against the wall, his eyes not even seeing the corridor around him. No new doors had opened, so Rumple figured the Dreamscape must be over. But still, he didn't know how to get out.

Faces floated in and out of his vision.

His father. Samantha. Penelope. Milah. Arial. Hook. Cora.

Belle...his dear, sweet Belle...

And Bae. His was the face he saw most of all.

So many faces, so many lives...

All ruined, because of him.

"Papa!"

Crying out as the pain ripped through his heart, Rumple clawed at his head with his hands, trying to banish the voices that were now going through his head.

"Bae!" He sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Bae!"

"Papa, can you hear me?"

"Bae!" Rumple's voice trailed off into a whimper as he spoke to the voice in his head. "I'm so sorry, son. I only wanted to be your father, that's all I ever wanted."

He closed his eyes, realising that he must be losing his mind. Pan had won this game, after all.

"But I failed you." He whispered. "I'm so sorry, Bae."

"Papa! Wake up!"

That sounded a strange thing for his son to say in his head.

"What?" Rumple spoke aloud.

"Is really _is_ me, Papa," Rumple could hear his son's voice more clearly now, not in his mind, but echoing through the very walls that made up the dreamscape corridor. "I'm in Neverland, right now."

"Bae?" Rumple struggled to his feet as he realised what was really happening. "You came for me?"

"Yeah, I did," his son answered softly and Rumple could feel new tears trailing down his cheeks.

"Now," Bae's voice became firmer, "you have to wake up!"

"I don't know how!" Rumple admitted. "I'm sorry, Bae, I don't know how."

"How do you do anything here?" Bae countered angrily. "You have to believe you can!"

"I'm not worth it," Rumple admitted sadly. "I've done so many things in my life Bae... I'm not worth it."

"Yes you are, Rumple!"

Rumple's head shot up in surprise.

"Belle?"

"Yeah, she's here too, Papa," Bae informed him. "I'm touching the bowl, so I guess that means you can hear everything outside you, now."

"You have to come back, Rumple," Belle pleaded, and Rumple could hear the tears in her voice. "I _love_ you. Your family _needs_ you."

"Belle," Rumple whispered, and just saying her name was enough to clear his mind. "I love you too."

Suddenly, the corridor around dissolved into a white light, and Rumple had to close his eyes, blinded.

~..~..~..~..

Belle watched fearfully as the scrying bowl filled with white, obscuring her love from sight before blackening completely.

Gasping, Belle brought her hands to her mouth, refusing to believe that he'd gone.

"Rumple?" she whispered hopefully, her eyes never leaving her love's face as he continued to lie still, apparently sleeping.

Neal watched his father with bated breath.

"Please," he whispered.

Slowly, slowly, Rumple's eyes flickered open.

"Papa!" Neal smiled in relief as he helped his father to sit up.

"Rumple!" Tears of joy were trailing down Belle's cheeks as she viewed her love before her.

"Bae," Rumple gripped his son's arm tightly, as if to make sure that he wasn't dreaming, before turning his eyes to the vision that was his beloved Belle.

"I used a projection potion," Belle answered the question she could see in Rumple's eyes.

"But you don't like magic," Rumple queried numbly, as if still half asleep.

"I'm not afraid anymore," Belle told him. "And now I see you're alive," she continued, "I can help you get home."

"That may be more difficult than you think, sweetheart," he told her.

"But," Neal didn't follow. "You passed the Dreamscape. You won Pan's game."

Rumple smiled wryly.

"But the deal's not done just yet," he told them.

"What was the deal, exactly?" Belle asked.

"If I got through the Dreamscape," Rumple explained as Neal helped him to his feet, "then Pan gets my power, instead of Henry's."

"How?" Belle asked warily. "I have the dagger with me, there's no other way to get your power from you."

"Oh, yes there is," Rumple informed them. "And Pan knows that. Whether I'll live afterward," he admitted grimly, "is another thing."

"You'll live," Belle said firmly.

Neal met Belle's gaze steadily.

"As soon as Pan has dad's power, we'll leave," he told her. "We'll meet you at the docks in Storybrooke."

"I'll be there," Belle vowed before turning her gaze onto Rumple. "I will see you again," she told him. "I love you, Belle," Rumple whispered.

"I love you too," closing her eyes to concentrate, Belle's spirit form disappeared.

~..~..~..~..

Belle opened her eyes to find herself on the couch in the back room of the shop.

"Wow," Sydney granted. "That wasn't long at all."

Botlting to her feet, Belle stumbled to the door, shaking off the after effects of the potion.

"Was your journey a success?" Sydney asked, concerned as Belle raced into the shop to her bag.

"Yes," Belle answered picking up her phone and dialling. "Yes, it was."

"Sheriff," Belle said quickly as Fredrick answered. "They're coming back! I'm telling you, they'll be back before this evening, I just spoke to Rumple. I'll meet you at the docks at the Storybrooke Marina."

Hanging up, Belle turned to Sydney.

"Let's go."

~..~..~..~..

Peter Pan smiled as he faced the three people who thought they could beat him on his own island.

"You can't hurt us," Snow White told him as Regina pushed Henry behind her protectively. "The deal's not done yet."

"Actually," Pan corrected. "It is."

"What?" Emma questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Rumplestiltskin has finished the Dreamscape," Pan informed them.

"Great," Regina said, steering her son away. "Let's go Henry."

"But," Pan continued, taking a step forward. "He hasn't woken up yet."

"So," Emma put forward, feeling her heart hammering in her chest as her muscled tensed, "we just need to wait for him to wake up."

"I wouldn't count on that happening, Emma," Pan took another step forward, smiling. "You see, in order to someone to wake up from a Dreamscape, they need a _reason_ to wake up. And frankly," Pan continued blithely, "the Dark One doesn't have many reasons to wake up. He's done a_ lot_ of damage in his life and he's relived every single thing."

"You don't need a lot of reasons," David informed the boy, "you just need one good one."

"Well, who'd want Rumplestiltskin back, anyway?" Pan asked curiously, clicking his fingers, the trees suddenly came to life, wrapping their branches, vines and roots around the adults and pulling them against their trunk.

"So this means," Pan announced with a smile. "I win!"

"Run, Henry!" Regina screamed, trying to free herself with magic.

Turning, Henry made a break for the trees, but instantly found his way blocked by Peter Pan.

"Finally!" Pan cheered, pinning Henry to a tree and bringing his face close. "I'm gonna be able to leave this place."

"Let him go!" Emma screamed. Suddenly, Emma's magic flared to life and the tree released her. Regina dropping to the ground moments later.

But Pan was still focusing all his attention on Henry.

"All your belief, your power, is now _mine_, Henry," Pan informed the boy as a hungry smile tugged at his lips and his eyes became alight with fire.

"You're _not_ getting my son, you bastard," Regina hissed as he summoned a large fireball. Emma did the same and together, they threw the fire at Pan's exposed back.

Pan simply waved a hand, and the fire dissipated.

"You're really just making this harder on yourselves," he told them.

As they watched, Pan's hand began to glow, and he brought it just above Henry's chest.

"You're heart," Pan told him, "your mind and body, are _mine _now."

"No!" Emma drew her sword, ready to stab him.

"Wait!"

Everyone turned to see Neal standing in the clearing, supporting an exhausted looking Rumplestiltskin.

"Not so fast," Rumple told Pan fiercely. "We had a deal, Pan."

"So we did," Pan admitted slowly, reluctantly letting Henry go. Snow and David fell onto the ground, released from their bonds also.

"Henry!" Emma and Regina rushed forward, jointly hugging their son in relief.

"I passed your test," Rumple announced, gesturing to those in the group, "you must let Henry and his family leave Neverland in peace."

Peter Pan clenched his jaw.

"Don't tell me you're about to break the rules of your own game, now, Pan." Rumple added, carefully pushing his son away to distance himself.

"I wouldn't do that, Dark One," Pan admitted. "You know me: I play by the rules."

"Then let them go free," Rumple told him.

Reluctantly, Pan turned to Henry, still enveloped by his two mothers.

"Until the next round then, Henry," He promised. "You and your family may go."

Without asking questions, Regina took her son's hand firmly in her own.

"Come on, Henry," she told him as she led him away as fast as she could back towards the ship.

"Emma, come on!" David called to his daughter as he and Snow followed.

But Emma was looking at Neal, who hadn't moved.

"Neal?" She prompted.

"Pan," Neal stepped between the boy and his father. "The deal was that Henry and his family could go free right?"

"Yes, so you can go now, Baelfire," Pan told him.

"But he's my father," Neal gestured back to Rumple. "That makes him family too."

"And you expect me to let him go too," Pan stated, seeing where this was going.

"Rumplestiltskin is Henry's grandfather," Neal told Pan firmly. "You're free to take his power, as per your deal," he granted, "but afterward, you let him go."

Pan smiled.

"If he's still alive," the boy granted before scowling. "_Now get out my way_!"

Hands glowing once more, Pan leapt forward and pressed his palms against Rumple's chest.

As soon as he made contact, Rumple screamed in pain.

"Papa!" Neal tried to step forward, but a pulse of magic sent him flying backwards. Pan wasn't going to let anyone interrupt him.

"Neal!" Emma rushed to where Neal lay on the ground, helping him to his feet.

Felling the wind picking up, the pair looked upward to see dark, black storm clouds circling directly above their heads.

"Oh god," Emma moaned, her voice barely heard above the howling wind as it circled around them.

~..~..~..~..

"Go, go, go!" David yelled as the group ran through the foliage, Regina using fire to clear a path to the coast with one hand, gripping Henry tightly with the other.

~..~..~..~..

Aboard the Jolly Roger, Hook and Ariel had seen the storm brewing over the island, and, figuring they'd need to be leaving very quickly, Hook was edging the ship closer to shore.

~..~..~..~..

Tamara felt a rumble pass through the ground and she ducked behind a tree, pulling Greg with her as they waited for it to stop.

"What's happening?" she whispered fearfully.

Hearing the footsteps and cheers of the Lost Ones as they chased their quarry through the forest, Greg gritted his teeth in desperation.

"I don't want to wait and find out," he hissed, pulling Tamara up, they continued to run.

Those beans had to be somewhere in this forest. Unfortunately, they may as well have been looking for a needle in a haystack.

Still, it was the only chance they had.

~..~..~..~..

Neal watched, horrified as Pan slowly pulled some kind of bluish-black smoke out of his father, which entered him through his mouth, eyes, nose and even his ears. His father's screams of pain was carried on the wind that whirled around them.

Suddenly, the contact was broken and Rumple fell to the ground, his body shaking uncontrollably as if he were having a seizure.

"Papa!" Neal rushed forward as Pan stood, frozen, as he finished absorbing the last of the Dark One's power into his being.

"How are we going to get him to the ship?" Emma asked.

"With this," Neal held up the bag that held the last of the fairy dust.

"Think of a happy thought," Neal told her as he shook the bag empty over their heads.

"How about getting home alive?" Emma suggested.

"Works for me," Neal answered as he and Emma lifted into the air, supporting Rumple between them as they flew over the trees.

~..~..~..~..

As Sydney drove to the Marina, Belle held Rumple's dagger across her lap. Glancing down, she felt her heart stutter as she noticed that the name 'Rumplestiltskin' was beginning to fade from the dagger blade.

"Hurry Sydney," she told the genie. "We're running out of time."

~..~..~..~..

As Pan felt the last of the Dark One's power enter his body, he opened his eyes, letting out a hiss of breath in pleasure.

He had felt strong before now, but _this_...

"Yes!" He crowed, reaching up towards the sky as the clouds swirled above him. A visual representation of the new power flowing through him.

Wanting to try his new talent out, Pan slammed his fists into the ground beneath his feet, laughing as fissures opened, shooting outward into the forest, swallowing up whole trees in their path.

~..~..~..~..

The Lost Ones were shaken to the ground as the earth shuddered beneath their feet.

"What the hell was that?"

Felix lay still as he cast his eyes around the forest, listening.

Beneath his fingers, a rumbling could be felt. Then heard.

Looking back the way they'd come, Felix eyes widened as he saw whole trees collapsing, fairies swarming into the air.

"Go, go, go!" Felix yelled to the others as he shot to his feet, running as fast as he could.

A fissure ripped through the trees, splitting the land apart as rocks and trees toppled into the abyss that opened up beneath.

"Ahhh!" Felix could hear the screams of the others as the ground opened up beneath their feet.

Feeling the earth giving way beneath him, Felix darted to the side, gripping hold of the roots of a tree as he fell, clinging to the side of the sudden ravine as the fissure continued its destructive path through the forest.

Looking around, Felix spotted three others in the same position he was. Scrabbling for grip, Felix hauled himself up on to solid ground.

"What the hell was that?" One of the others demanded as they caught their breath, lying on the ground in relief at their narrow escape from death.

"We just saw the first taste of Pan's new power," Felix informed them.

~..~..~..~..

Greg and Tamara raced through the trees. They heard the roar of the fissure and the screams of the Lost Ones pursuing them, moments before the ground crumbled beneath their own feet.

"Ahh!" Tamara screamed as she grabbed for a tree root and held as tightly as she could.

"Tamara!"

Turning, she spotted Greg clinging to the rock face lower down.

"Help me!" He yelled.

"Give me your hand!" Tamara reached down as Greg carefully extended his hand upward.

They were too far away to reach each other however, and Tamara could feel her grip slipping as she tried to reach Greg.

Greg froze as he felt another rumble beneath his fingers and Tamara's eyes widened as the rock Greg was clinging to crumbled and she had to watch him fall.

"Greg!" She screamed.

Hearing a snap, Tamara turned to see the tree above her falling towards her as the edge of the ravine fell away.

~..~..~..~..

"Hurry up, all aboard!" Hook ordered as the longboat was hauled up.

"Where's Emma?" The pirate asked as Snow, Henry, Regina and David climbed aboard.

"She and Neal are getting Gold," David told the pirate, his eyes scanning the shore.

"There!" Henry pointed upward and moments later, Emma and Neal landed on deck, Rumple hanging limply between them.

"We have to get out of here!" Emma yelled as the storm continued to rage over the island and began extending its reach towards the ocean.

"What happened to Gold?" Snow asked, concerned.

"Pan took his power away," Neal explained as he and Emma lay his father on the deck. "He's dying."

"We have to get him to Storybrooke," Emma told them all before turning to Henry.

"What could save him?" Regina asked, though, as her son was safe, she had no objections to going to Storybrooke right now.

"Belle!" Henry exclaimed.

"What?" Neal asked, focussing on his son.

"True Love's kiss," Henry explained quickly. "The Beauty and the Beast story is always different than the others, 'cause it's the Beauty that saves the Beast's life in the end. Don't you see?" He asked them all. "We need Belle!"

"You still got the beans, kid?" Emma asked him.

Henry handed the pod over and Emma got out a bean, passing it to Hook, who threw it far out into the ocean, opening a swirling whirlpool of a portal.

"Storybrooke, here we come," Neal muttered looking down at his father who was so weak he  
could barely keep his eyes open.

"Don't worry dad," he told him. "We're gonna save you."

~..~..~..~..

Sydney's car skidded to a stop by the marina and Belle shoved the door open urgently.

Half of Rumple's name had disappeared off the dagger blade.

Her eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of a portal, but the ocean was calm.

The Sheriff's car arrived on the scene, lights flashing, just as a great whirlpool appeared in the harbour.

The Jolly Roger rose up in a burst of sea spray and Belle went sprinting down the dock towards the ship as fast as she could.

"Rumple!"

~..~..~..~..

"There's Belle!" Snow pointed to the figure racing down the wharf.

"We're nearly there dad," Neal sat on the deck, rocking his father's body in his arms. "Just hold on."

"We need more wind in the sails!" Hook called from the helm.

Watching Neal's expression, Emma concentrated, hoping she could be as powerful here as in Neverland.

Thankfully, the wind picked up speed, swelling their sail as they headed towards the dock.

~..~..~..~..

Belle stood at the edge of the pier, clutching Rumple's dagger in her hands.

His name was nearly completely gone.

After what felt like an eternity, the Jolly Roger drew up alongside the dock and David and Hook lowered the gang plank.

"Rumple!" Belle called as she raced up on board. "I'm here!"

Her heart was in her throat as she knelt down beside Rumple, in the arms of his son.

"Belle," Rumple's voice was barely a whisper. "I'm dead, Belle."

"Don't talk like that," Belle told him. "You'll be alright. We're together now, everything's going to be fine, you'll see."

Rumple managed to smile slightly, as, with effort, he reached up to cup his Love's face in one hand.

"At least I got to see you," Rumple whispered. "One last time."

"No,' Belle pleaded as Rumple's eyes slowly began to close. "Please don't leave me. I love you."

Leaning down, Belle pressed her lips softly against Rumple's own.

As their lips touched, a pulse of pure magic shot forth, rippling through the air.

Everyone waited with batted breath as Belle slowly retreated back, watching her Love's face with concern.

After a beat, Rumple gasped in a deep breath of air and Belle felt tears of joy and relief flowing down her face as his eyes opened.

"Belle," he smiled.

Laughing with relief, Belle pulled Rumple to a sitting position where she kissed him again, in pure joy.

"I knew it," she told him. "I knew you'd come back to me."

"My hero," Rumple told her fondly, inciting another laugh. And another kiss.

"Thank you."

Belle looked to see Baelfire staring at her in wonder.

"Thank you for saving my father," he told her.

"I'll always save him," Belle vowed.

"Son," Rumple got to his feet, never letting go of Belle's hand as he did so. "Allow me to officially introduce you to the love of my life: this is Belle."

Neal chuckled slightly at the weirdness of their introduction- just after Belle saves his father's life after having his power drained from a sociopathic teenager.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Belle," he smiled.

"Hey, look," Henry had picked up the dagger, expecting to see Rumplestiltskins name back on it. But holding it up, everyone saw it now held the name _Peter Pan_.

"I'm not the Dark One anymore," Rumple whispered, his eyes never leaving the boy before him.

"You really were my undoing, Henry."

"You finally did it."

Rumple turned to view his son, who was shaking his head ironically.

"You finally kept our deal."

Rumple smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry it took so long, son," he told him.

"It's okay, Papa," Neal told him, hugging his father tightly. "Better late than never."

"I hate to put a dampener on this happy moment," Hook interrupted. "But there is the slight problem now of Peter Pan having the powers of the Dark One and is now able to leave Neverland without losing power."

"Yes, but we,' Rumple reclaimed the dagger that had once born his name, "now have the only weapon that can kill him."

"And who would do that?" Regina asked. "Whoever kills Peter Pan becomes the new Dark One."

There was a very pregnant pause.

"Why don't we cross that bridge if we come to it?" Neal suggested quickly.

"Yeah," Henry held up the bean pod he still held. "We've got more beans to plant now! Enchanted Forest, here we come!"

~..~..~..~..

Peter Pan stood still, enjoying the feeling of this new power that flowed through his veins.

"Pan?"

The eternal teenager turned to see Felix and three other Lost Ones emerge from the trees.

"There you are," Pan commented wryly. "I was wondering what had happened to you. You missed the show."

"Actually, we didn't," Felix countered, trying to control his anger. "I lost all but three of my team after your fissure swallowed everything."

"Sorry about that, Felix," Pan replied casually. "But don't worry. There'll be plenty more where we're going."

Felix studied his leader carefully.

"So, you did it, then?" He asked. "The boy is a part of you now?"

"No," Pan answered with a smile. I took the Dark One's power instead. Pan raised a hand to show the shadowed pallor of his skin.

"I don't understand," Felix insisted. "Wasn't the whole point of this to get the _boy_?"

"Yes, but I did make a deal," Pan reminded Felix calmly. "I promised that I would let them leave Neverland safely." He smiled. "But I never said that I wouldn't follow them, after it was done."

Felix smiled as he began to see where this was going.

"I'm now free to leave this place," Pan cheered, holding his arms wide to encompass the destruction around him. "And my first stop," he continued as his smile grew wider, "will be Storybrooke."

Holding out his hand, Pan summoned the three bean pods that he had sent Tamara and Greg after.

"Ready or not, Henry," he whispered. "Here I come."

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: So, that's it! What do you think? An appropriate ending for the first part of the season?

As Eddy and Adam have said that they'll do 2 lots of 11 episodes, I thought I'd make my story at least 11 chapters long- one for each episode in the series. As such, (and as the actual season 3 has now aired on tv in the Northern Hemisphere) I think I'll stop this story here. Who knows, maybe when the tv series has finished it's first half, I'll write my version of part 2!

But what did you think of my version season 3 part 1?

Ever since I heard there were some siren-like mermaids appearing in the show, I knew I had to have a mermaid confrontation, and having it as the build up towards the confrontation with Peter Pan was the best time to have it, in my opionion. Plus, I really wanted to see Emma gret a tail again, and we get to see how much Neal knows about how the magic of Neverland works from growing up in that world- he knows the mermaids, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how to take advantage of that.

I also wanted to see a Swanfire kiss! I am a total Swanfire fan, and while I'm not sure if Eddy and Adam would have them getting back together so quickly on the show, this was the 'endgame' I envisaged for them. Sorry Captain Swan shippers- my story, so I get to decide who ends up with who!

I know many of you will probably be thinking that the confrontation with Pan was rather lack-lustre, but it wasn't 'Emma facing Pan' that was the focus, it was Rumple overcoming the Dreamscape and finding a reason to come back after reliving all the horrible things he'd done to others. That was the _real_ showdown.

And yes, I know I killed Greg and Tamara right at the end, and I had originally thought of Henry giving them a bean to escape with, telling them to never go back to Storybrooke, but I just couldn't bring myself to write it. I never liked them as characters, and I see no real point to them being there in the future. So, I ended their story.

Ever since I heard of the Seer's prophesy of Henry being Rumple's 'undoing', I was sure that it meant that, because of Henry, Rumple would lose the Dark One's power. And this is how I see it happening, saved by his very own heroine: Belle!

Those of you who have seen the Disney movie may have recognised their last scene 'At least I got to see you one last time' is quite possibly my most favourite scene from my favourite Disney movie, so I had to do a shout out to it in Rumbelle's 'big moment'.

You can probably guess what I was leading on to at the end there: Peter Pan would go to Storybrooke to try and find Henry again, and instead would be killed, maybe by Rumplestiltskin, who reclaims his magical power by using the dagger (though even without being the Dark One, I'm sure Rumple would still be able to use magic- potions for example) and the town replants the beans, until they have enough for everyone to go to the Enchanted Forest, where they have to begin the great rebuild...

So, that's about it, I guess... Thank you all so much for reading my story. Your reviews, follows and feedback have been the encouragement I needed to write at my computer everyday.

Now, I think my fingers and my brain definately need a break.

Thank you all so much, once again.

Please review!

Celino.


	12. Family matters

Author's note: Hi everybody! Okay, I know I said that chapter eleven was the last chapter for part 1, and I know I'm supposed to be on a break right now, but the other day, I realised I had missed adressing a few things regarding Neal. He duelled Charming, and he confronted Hook, but he never actually got the chance to speak to Emma. And lo, Bae's speech to Emma below started forming in my head (I was tossing up whether to have him say it to Emma or Henry, but I chose Emma, as Henry already pretty much forgives his father, as Neal didn't even know he existed and Emma deserved an explanation).

So, after writing his spiel to her, other scenes started to form in my head, and before you know it, I had written this whole thing! Which I really like, by the way.

I had intended to just put it up as a one-shot, but I thought it could fit nicely as an epilogue of sorts for this story, so I added a few linking details and posted it here.

As usual, my theories are below, please read and enjoy!

~..~..~..~..

The Jolly Roger was docked in the Storybrooke harbour. On the ship's deck, Henry was excitedly regaling all three of his parents with what had happened to him the moment Tamara and Greg washed up with him on Neverland's shore, to the moment where they opened the portal.

Rumple held his love's hand, unwilling to let it go as he relished in her presence. Neither had to say a word, for looking was enough.

A hand on his shoulder caused him to start slightly, and to his surprise, he turned to find Ariel standing before him.

"Ariel?" He gasped as the former mermaid hugged him in relief. For when Emma and Neal had landed on deck, she had been worried sick by how close to death he had appeared.

"I'm fine, now Ariel, "Rumple told her gently. "Thank you. And I'm glad you were able to accompany us back."

Ariel pointed to Regina.

"Regina gave you legs?" Rumple queried and Ariel nodded, doing a twirl on the deck to show how accomplished she had become with her new limbs.

"I'm sorry?" Belle asked in confusion.

"Ah, yes," Rumple remembered his manners. "Belle, I'd like you to met Ariel, a mermaid who saved my life as a young man. She gave her voice to the Dark One at the time in order to come on land for a time. She has always been so curious about the human world," he added fondly. "When she became a mermaid once more, she was banished to Neverland, for a mermaid with no voice is almost powerless. Ariel was of great help to us in finding Henry, and in gratitude, we promised to bring her back to Storybrooke with us." Rumple smiled as he turned back to the former mermaid in question. "Ariel, I would like you to meet my true love: This is Belle, the woman I told you about."

"It's nice to meet you, Ariel," Belle greeted, stepping forward to take hold of the young woman's hand. "Did you really save Rumple's life?"

Ariel nodded in confirmation and Belle smiled.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

Slowly, Ariel returned the smile.

"So, you like to learn?" Belle put forward gently, and Arial nodded eagerly. "If you like, I can help you adjust to life in Storybrooke," she suggested. "It's still pretty new to me, too."

Ariel's gaze was questioning as she regarded Belle.

"My time during the Dark Curse was a little different than most," Belle admitted. "But if you like, I can teach you about life here? And..." Belle tilted her head curiously. "Do you know how to read?" She asked.

Ariel shook her head, her eyes becoming hopeful.

"I can teach you to read," Belle suggested and Rumple couldn't help but feel proud of this kind hearted woman, whom he was lucky enough to call his own. "Books are a wonderful way to learn about the world."

Ariel clapped her hands to show her excitement before hugging Belle close in gratitude.

Rumple let out a small sigh of relief. Ariel would do fine here, with Belle looking out for her.

"Regina?"

Regina turned to see Rumplestiltskin's son regarding her as he stood by the side of the Saviour.

"There's something that I'd like to say to you," he began slowly.

"I'm waiting with bated breath," Regina told him.

Ignoring the overly defensive tone, Neal simply smiled.

"Thank you," he told her.

Regina frowned in confusion.

"What?"

"Thank you for doing such a great job with raising Henry, he's turned out beautifully," Neal elaborated.

That took Regina completely by surprise, and in a rare moment, she was speechless.

"You..." she stammered slightly, "you really think I did a good job raising him?" She asked, her voice hopeful.

"Yeah," Neal told her sincerely. "You're his mom. You took care of him when Emma and I couldn't."

Emma considered this thoughtfully as a grateful smile began to appear on Regina's face.

"Thank you, Neal," Regina was touched. No one had ever said that she had done a good job before.

"However," Neal continued, "Henry's got three parents now," Neal gestured to the three of them. "And I think we all deserve to have Henry in our lives."

"Yeah, I guess," Emma admitted reluctantly, remembering the curse that Regina had tried to place on Henry.

Regina's expression soured slightly as she met Emma's gaze. Would Emma try to keep her away from her son again?

Seeing the looks on the faces of both women, Neal thought it best to start building a bridge between them.

"Hey, Henry," he called, and the boy in question came over from talking to his grandparents. Neal placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Henry, we have a bit of a problem here, and I think we'll need your help to solve it."

"Okay," Henry said eagerly, "what's up?"

"Henry," Neal began, "do you think you'd be okay with having _three_ parents?"

The boy's face broke into a huge smile.

"I would _love _that!" He told them, looking around at his birth parents and his adopted mother.

"And there's the problem, Henry," Neal admitted carefully. "How can we do this?"

"With Peter Pan the new Dark One, he could arrive here at any moment," Regina said quickly. "I'm the most powerful magician here, so Henry's safest with me."

"And how do we know that you're not gonna try and keep him prisoner or put a curse on him again?" Emma demanded. "Henry came to me in Boston because he was _miserable_ with you. Believe me, he's safer with me and Neal."

"Okay ladies, break it up," Neal stepped in between the two woman as Henry's expression showed that he could see how difficult this was going to be.

"Regina, you make a very good point about Peter Pan," Neal began.

"Thank you," Regina said steadily, taking hold of Henry's shoulder.

"But I think Emma also makes a good point too, about you using magic to try to keep him as you did before."

Regina opened her mouth to retort before remembering the look on her son's face at the wishing well.

"I destroyed the curse," Regina reminded them quietly. "And I will _never_ use magic on my son again."

"Okay," Neal took a breath, 'I can't believe I'm gonna say this...' he thought ironically.

"How about we make a deal?"

The reaction was instant.

"Are you _kidding me_?" Emma asked.

"With the son of _Rumplestiltskin_?" Regina spat. "No way."

"Well, it's good to know that you two can agree on some things," Neal commented lightly before becoming serious again.

"Look," he continued. "We had to work together to get Henry out of Neverland, and with Pan most likely on his way here, we'll have to work together again to make sure that _our_ son stays safe." He turned his gaze from one woman to the other.

"Can we agree on that?"

Slowly, Regina nodded.

"Yeah," Emma whispered.

"Okay," Neal felt they were making some progress at least.

"So, how about this?" Neal put forward. "Henry spends...a week...with each of us," he suggested slowly, "starting with Regina, as she's most practiced in magic, in case Pan turns up soon."

"Which he probably will," Regina muttered, considering. "I should have more time with him."

"Why?" Emma demanded. "You had over ten years with him."

"Henry," Neal reminded them of the boys presence, "this affects you most of all, so you _are_ allowed to have a say in this."

Henry looked at the faces of his parents thoughtfully.

"We don't need all the details sorted out this second," Neal reminded them, "just something to build from."

Henry swallowed.

"I like Neal's idea," Henry admitted. "But," he added quickly, "if I want to visit one of my other parents during the week, like for the day, or for lunch at Granny's or something, I can."

Neal paused, considering.

"Deal," he held out his hand, and Henry grasped it eagerly.

"Deal," Emma added, placing her hand on top of theirs.

"Deal," Regina reluctantly agreed, placing her hand on the pile.

"The deal is struck," Henry grinned, using one of his grandfather's famous lines from his book.

Emma groaned.

"I'm not like my father," he reminded them all.

"Well, you are dealing with your _first born child_," Regina told him. "I better not regret this," she added firmly, but a smile lit her face as she turned to her son.

"Come on Henry," she told him, "let's go home."

"Well done, Bae."

Neal turned to view his father as he approached, Belle on his arm as the others began to disembark the ship.

"I cannot believe I just did that," Neal admitted, sounding shocked.

"Well, we all do unexpected things for those we love," his father told him softly.

"There's still Peter Pan though," Neal reminded his father.

"Yes," Rumple agreed as he began to follow the others down the gang plank. "But, as you said: we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Are you okay?" Neal asked his father hesitantly as they made their way down to the dock. "About not being the Dark One anymore? You're magic's gone now."

"Oh, I wouldn't necessarily say that," Rumple's eye's closed in concentration for a moment and he nodded slightly.

"A seer gave me her power of sight," Rumple explained. "And I still posses that, as it wasn't part of the curse of the Dark One. I also spent many years learning other forms of magic, trying to find a way to reach you, Bae. So," he added, "I believe I can still do magic," he granted, "I'm just not as powerful as I was."

He looked at his son with concern.

"Are you okay with _that, _son?" He asked, worried.

"Without the curse of the Dark One blackening your heart Rumple, you can use your power for good now," Belle told him surely. "You can use it to protect your family."

Rumple smiled slightly, considering.

"You'd be okay with that?" Neal asked his father.

Casting his eyes over the two people he loved most, Rumple raised a hand, and with a flick of his wrist and a puff of smoke, a rose appeared in his hand.

"Yes," he answered his son, passing the rose to Belle, who accepted it with a delighted smile. "I think I could be okay with that."

~..~..~..~..

Regina had been shocked to discover Sydney at the end of the dock, and even more shocked to find that Belle had taken over her job as Mayor. Emma supposed that she shouldn't have been surprised to find her own job taken, but David had assured her that Fredrick was an honourable man and good for the job.

When Rumple spotted Keith leaning against the squad car however, the former Sheriff of Nottingham was quick to retreat into the car as Belle explained why Keith was Deputy.

"Well, thank you for substituting," Regina told Belle, "but now that we're back, I think our jobs can be returned."

"That was always my idea," Belle assured Regina, for she was eager to return to her beloved library.

However, as Regina needed to know what had happened while she was out of office, she and Belle went to the town hall with Sydney, who Regina was doing her best to ignore, while dropping Emma, Neal and Henry off at the Charming's place, where Henry asked to wait until his mother was finished work.

Snow, David, Fredrick and Keith travelled to the Sheriff's station, dropping Rumple off at his shop, as he said he wanted to pick up a few things, like his car, for he didn't like the cramped travelling conditions, before going to the Charming's residence to discuss their plan to deal with Peter Pan.

With no room left available in the cars, Hook tended to his ship, furling the sails and tying the ship more securely to the harbour, with Ariel's help. While the former mermaid couldn't read, she did know a lot about how ships worked from watching the sailors and greatly enjoyed moving about the was impressed with the amount of knowledge that she had.

Hook and Ariel had also agreed to join up with the others and Emma had given Hook her phone, after giving a quick explanation of how it worked, so they could stay in contact.

Once the ship was completely secured, Hook and Ariel walked the streets of Storybrooke. As they made their way to the Charming's home, Ariel admired everything around her with wonder, and Hook was happy to explain what he'd learnt so far of this world to such a captive audience.

~..~..~..~..

Emma, Neal and Henry exited the car, after promising Regina that she was free to collect Henry as soon as her business with Belle had finished, and Henry made sure to kiss his mother on the cheek goodbye before running into the apartment building.

However, no sooner had Emma opened the door, and set about making hot chocolate for them all, than Henry began to doze off where he sat.

"Come on, Henry," she encouraged her son to stand up, "you've been through a lot kid, you look like you need some sleep."

Henry got slowly to his feet, and Neal scooped him up onto his shoulder to carry him upstairs to his room.

Emma smiled as she watched Neal carry their son upstairs before turning back to the kitchen as the water came to a boil.

It was as she was scooping the cocoa into the mugs that she heard Neal coming back down the stairs.

"Emma?" Neal said hesitantly, and Emma turned to see him standing behind her with a mixture of hope and remorse in his expression.

"I realise," he began slowly, "that I never actually got a chance to...to really talk to you, back in Neverland..."

Emma took a breath, moving to sit on the couch.

"What did you want to say?" She asked slowly.

Neal was trying to get his thoughts in order as he came to sit beside her, but he soon mentally shook his head at the futility of the effort. His thoughts were all in a jumble, but what he was feeling couldn't have been clearer.

'Just be honest,' he told himself.

"I meant what I told you," he began carefully, his voice low. "I love you."

Emma felt her breath catch in her throat as Neal lifted his gaze to hers, and the emotion behind his eyes made her glad she was sitting down.

"I lived in Neverland for so long," Neal explained slowly. "I was just as lost as any of the other boys on that island. And when I left," he continued, "I hoped that I could find what I was looking for." A soft smile tugged at his lips as he studied Emma's face. "And I did: I found you. And for the first time, I really felt like I _belonged_ somewhere, that I belonged with you."

Neal ducked his head as guilt filled his eyes.

"I thought I was helping you find your family, when I let you go," his voice had become husky with emotion. "You had always wanted to find your family, and I thought that letting you go was the only way to help you do that." He put his head in his hands, clutching his hair with frustration before taking a deep breath and straightening up. "I don't blame you, if you don't forgive me yet," he told Emma earnestly, "because I still haven't forgiven myself. Letting you go was the biggest regret of my life. I regretted it the moment I made the decision, but by then it was too late to take it back." Neal licked his lips nervously as he cleared his throat as his voice became tight.

"I was afraid to go looking for you," Neal continued his confession, "I thought about you _every day_. But I was so afraid..." Neal swallowed as tears began to trail down his cheeks as he confessed his weakest points. He smirked humourlessly. "I guess I'm more like my dad than I thought," he mumbled.

Emma stayed quiet, knowing he wasn't finished yet.

"But when I was over that pit," he continued softly, "when all I could see was your face... I realised that all those years I had spent feeling afraid was just _wasted_ time... and that letting you go had _not_ been our only option, like I'd thought. We could've raised Henry _together_," Neal admitted softly. "And_ I_ could've brought you to Storybrooke when the time came."

He sighed.

"Not much we can do about that part, now," he admitted softly.

"But," his voice breaking slightly as he continued, "it's amazing how getting so close to death helps you get your priorities in the right order. And you, Emma..." Neal raised his eyes again, "you and Henry are top of the list."

Turning slightly, Neal made sure that he had Emma's full attention, for he knew this next bit was the most important.

"I'm not afraid anymore," he told her. "I should have fought for you before, but I didn't...and when I woke up alive in the Enchanted Forest, I knew that I had been given another chance, and I'm not gonna waste it this time."

Emma hadn't realised that she had started to cry until Neal gently brushed a tear away with the back of his fingers. Cupping her face gently, Neal met her eyes, and Emma could see the honesty in them.

"_I love you_, Emma," Neal told her simply. "And I completely understand if you haven't forgiven me, and while I know that nothing I can do now will make up for the time we've lost together, I _will _be here for you and Henry now. And if you let me," Neal reached into a pocket and brought out the necklace with the swan pendant, "I'd like for us to try and be a proper family."

Emma swallowed as she gazed down at the little swan pendant that had once been a key ring, one of the few mementos she had left from their time together.

"I gave that back to you in New York," Emma sad slowly, her voice thick with emotion.

Neal smiled, "I've been carrying it around ever since New York," he admitted, his expression becoming hopeful. "I was wondering if I could give it back to you?"

Emma looked down at the necklace in Neal's hand. He was giving her the choice, now...

Slowly, Emma reached her hand forward and reclaimed the swan necklace, and while she had broken the chain to give it back to Neal, to her surprise, she found that the chain had been fixed.

"I got my dad to fix the chain," Neal admitted as he took the necklace and placed it around Emma's neck once more.

"What was his price?" Emma asked, looking down at the swan pendant that lay over her heart, its light weight reassuring and, Emma realised, very welcome.

"Time," Neal answered slowly. "He wants to spend some more time with me." He took a deep breath. "And while I'm still mad at him," Neal admitted, "the fact that I nearly lost him, _again_, has reminded me that I really _do_ want to have a father again. And, now that he's not the Dark One anymore," he continued hopefully, "there may be a chance of that."

Neal reclaimed Emma's gaze.

"And I want to be Henry's father too," he added.

"How are we gonna get that past Regina?" Emma asked.

"We'll work something out," Neal smiled slightly. "All families have their problems, right?"

Emma felt a smile tugging at her lips.

"I think our family will always have more problems than most," she admitted.

"So," Neal prompted hopefully, "does this mean you want this too? To try again? To be a family?"

Emma slowly nodded, for she had loved Neal for years, but it had been so long, she had to admit...

"Where do we _start_?" She wondered.

"How about dinner tonight?" Neal asked her softly. "Henry'll be at Regina's tonight, he'll be safe enough with her, so we've got the night free?"

A hopeful smile began to fill Emma's eyes as she gazed at Neal.

"Alright," she agreed.

Neal's smile grew wider, and he couldn't help leaning in and brushing Emma's lips with his own.

Emma responded slowly, reaching up to place her hands around Neal's neck, trailing her fingers along his shoulders.

Neal didn't want to pull away, and he ran his fingers through Emma's hair, letting the taste and smell of her take him back to the happiest times of his life...

~..~..~..~..

Outside the Charming's apartment building, Rumple was exiting his car just as Snow and David arrived in David's truck, which had been parked at the station. Together, they entered the apartment building and began to make their way up the stairs to the Charming's loft.

"Wait," David said to his wife as they reached the last flight of stairs. Turning to Gold, he held out their apartment key. "You go ahead, wait for us inside," he told him. "I just need to talk with my wife first."

"We may be rather pressed for time," Rumple told the prince firmly.

"We can spare a few minutes," David answered, pressing the key into his hand.

Sighing, Rumple continued up the stairs, doing his best to ignore the pain in his bad leg.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" David asked his wife in a whisper.

"David," Snow reprimanded slightly, "he gave up _everything_ to save Henry from Peter Pan."

"And now Peter Pan's the Dark One," David reminded his wife in a hiss. "Gold could just kill Peter Pan with the knife and reclaim his power all over again."

Pretending he couldn't hear the couple talking about him, Rumple unlocked their apartment door and pushed it open silently.

He froze before taking even two steps inside.

Emma Swan and his son were on the couch, locked in an embrace.

Rumple stepped back out into the hallway quietly, though the kissing couple seemed too preoccupied with each other to notice that anyone had even entered.

Closing the door as silently as possible, Rumple allowed himself a small smile of pride for his son before turning to the more immediate issue of Emma's parents approaching.

"Perhaps it would be better," he told them, thinking quickly, "for us to conduct this discussion at my shop."

"Why?" David asked, confused. "We're already here." He made to move past, but felt the gold-topped handle of Rumple's cane thud against his chest.

"Trust me," Rumple told the man quietly, "I really think my shop would be better."

David's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Rumplestiltskin didn't want him to enter his own family apartment?

"Out of my way," David whispered, pushing the former Dark One aside, he pushed open his apartment door, his wife and Rumple following behind.

Emma and Neal both sprung to their feet like guilty children.

David froze. His eyes travelled from his daughter, who was hastily running her fingers through her hair, trying to comb out the tangles that seemed to have suddenly appeared, to Rumplestiltskin's son, who was quickly straightening his shirt.

"Have we interrupted something?" David asked Neal coldly, though their flushed faces and dishevelled appearance made it clear that they had.

"Uh..." Neal swallowed guiltily, glancing at Emma.

"No," Emma answered quickly.

"No," Neal echoed.

David's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward towards Neal.

"_You_..." he made to take another step, but found something tugging his arm, holding him back.

Looking down, he spied Rumple's gold topped cane hooked around his arm, the man in question meeting Charming's gaze, unafraid.

"Step away from my son, Prince Charming," the former Dark One warned,

"You would defend him," David hissed.

"Of course," Rumple admitted calmly.

"But I have the right to defend my daughter," David continued.

"Of course," Rumple granted, "but both of our children are old enough to make their own decisions. Besides," he continued, flicking his eyes to his son, "Emma was clearly not under any duress, and if she had been," he added, "your daughter is fully capable of defending herself."

"Okay," Neal cleared his throat to try and diffuse the tension in the room, "I was just..."

"Leaving?" Charming pointed to the door.

Neal nodded, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah," he answered softly. Defying Charming's glare, however, rather than heading straight for the door, he turned back to Emma.

"I'll pick you up at eight, okay?" He told her softly before leaning in for another kiss.

David gritted his teeth and cleared his throat.

Smirking, Neal finally made to leave, only to find his path blocked by Prince Charming.

"What do you mean, you're picking my daughter up at eight?" David asked flatly, but he could easily guess.

"We've got a date tonight," Emma spoke up, getting annoyed with all the posturing going on.

"Shall I have her home by midnight, Sir?" Neal asked, a slight mocking tone to his voice.

"Eleven thirty," David deadpanned. If Neal was going to try and treat this like a joke, he'd take advantage of it.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," Emma objected.

"Nope," David kept his eyes locked on Neal. What would he do?

Neal's eyes became sincere as he stood up to Emma's father.

"I love your daughter, David," he told him slowly. "And I will always treat her with respect."

Mindful of the cane that was still hooked onto his arm, rather than punching Neal like he wanted to, David settled for a glare.

"Make sure you do," he told the man before him. "And," he added, "don't _ever_ let me catch you with my daughter like _that_," his eyes flicked to the couch meaningfully, "ever again."

"Oh, I promise," Neal answered, the smirk pulling at his mouth once more. "I won't let you catch me."

Dodging around Charming, Neal made it to the door.

"See you tonight, Emma," he called over his shoulder as he left.

Slowly, Rumple detached his cane from Charming's arm and the prince whirled around.

"Would you mind talking to your son about keeping his hands the hell away from my daughter?" David demanded.

"I believe your daughter is the only one who has the right to make that call," Rumple answered mildly. "Now, shall we reschedule our discussion?" Rumple got off the subject quickly.

"Yes," Charming replied. "Perhaps it would be more beneficial for us _all,_" he turned to glance at Emma, who blanched at being treated like a misbehaving teenager, "to discuss what to do about Pan, if he turns up, _together_."

"And calm," Snow added pointedly, eying her husband in concern. "We can meet at the diner later," she added, figuring neutral territory may help as she moved aside to quickly let Hook and Regina know of the change of plans.

"Tomorrow morning?" Emma suggested. "I think we all need to recharge."

"Very well," Rumple headed for the door, hoping to catch his son before her got too far. "Until tomorrow, then."

Rumple made his way down the stairs and was relieved to find Bae standing just outside the door of the building, seemingly lost in thought, a smile on his face.

"Sorry about the interruption," Rumple told his son, who started slightly.

"Yeah, that wasn't awkward at all," Bae answered sarcastically, running his fingers through his hair. "What?" He asked, seeing the smile on his father's face.

"You're happy, son," Rumple stated softly.

"Yeah," Bae answered slowly. "Yeah I am." He smiled wryly. "Now I just gotta find a way to win over Prince Charming."

Rumple thought for a moment. He may not be able to help his son deal with his lover's father, but he may have a solution to another relevant problem.

"Come with me, Bae," he told his son. "I have something I'd like to give you, if you'll have it?"

"What is it?" Bae asked cautiously.

"You'll see," Rumple told him gently, and to his relief, Bae followed him, albeit cautiously, to his car.

Back in the apartment, Emma was glaring angrily at her father.

"I cannot believe you!" She was shouting.

"You're my _daughter_." Charming felt his voice rising. "How would you expect me to react to that?" His eyes studied Emma's mussed up hair. Her face was still flushed, but Charming figured that it was now due to anger rather than...passion.

"We're the same age!" Emma shot back. "And I am a grown woman and do _not_ need a curfew as if I were seventeen!"

"Okay," Snow stepped in between them, her hands raised in a placating gesture. "I think we all need to cool down a bit, here."

David took a deep breath to try and calm down.

"I know you're a grown woman, Emma," he admitted slowly, "and I know that you can take care of yourself. But," He added quickly as Emma opened her mouth to retort, "no matter how old you are, or how many years separate us, you will _always_ be my daughter. And as your father, it's my job to protect you. I _want_ to protect you."

"I don't need your protection," Emma told him quietly. "I've done a pretty good job without it for the last twenty eight years."

Charming tried not to show how much those words hurt as he lowered his eyes.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Emma announced as she left the room, avoiding her parents' eyes.

As Emma closed the door behind her, Snow placed her hand on her husband's shoulder in comfort.

"I sure botched that conversation up didn't I?" David asked his wife.

"Well," Snow began slowly, "you may have overreacted just a little."

David looked up in confusion. "You really think I overreacted?" He asked.

"You acted just like an overprotective father would," Snow nodded.

David's jaw dropped slightly in shock.

"So, what," he began, "I should have said 'sorry for interrupting' and left them to continue?"

"They're in _love_, David," Snow reminded her husband slowly as if she were speaking to a child. "They're a _couple_, and that's what couples do."

"Not _my_ daughter," David felt the 'overprotective father' feeling rising up again.

"You _do_ know that Emma and Neal have already had a son together, right? Remember Henry?" Snow reminded her husband and David rolled his eyes.

"Yes," he granted, "but-"

"And haven't we always wanted our daughter to find her happy ending?" Snow prompted. "Emma's _finally_ letting her walls down."

"For _him_," David spoke as if even saying Neal's name would leave a bad taste in his mouth.

That got Snow's attention, for her husband had never acted so...

"Are you jealous?" She asked.

David didn't answer, but the fact that he averted his gaze instantly spoke volumes.

"Charming..." Snow reached up to place her hand on her husband's cheek tenderly.

David took a deep breath.

"I've barely got used to having a daughter," David admitted slowly, "and I'm already losing her before she's even become truly mine." David felt all the fire leaving him as Snow wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Isn't she supposed to be _my_ girl first?" He asked rhetorically.

"Ideally, yes," Snow said. "But unfortunately, that never got the chance to happen."

"He has her love, even though he left her," David whispered. "Why can't I have her love too?"

"She may have been your girl when she was born, David," Snow admitted slowly, "But Emma has _never_ known you as her father. _Neal_ was her guy. He was the one who took care of her when she needed it. But Emma...she's never regarded you, _either of us_, in a loving role," Snow took a breath as she began to realise herself that she'd been going about getting her daughter back all wrong. "Neal earned Emma's love years ago, and so it's easier for her to give him her love again. Henry is Emma's son, and she's always seen him that way, and that's why she wanted to stay in Storybrooke, to get to know her son. But us? If we want to get our daughter back, David," Snow told her husband surely, "we have to _earn_ her love from scratch. For us, simply saying 'I'm sorry' one hundred times isn't going to work."

David sighed. His wife was right. Emma had been through too much heartache in her life to forgive them so easily. Neal had been the only good thing that had happened to her growing up. And for that, David realised he should be thankful.

"I guess this means I have to try and be nicer to Neal," he admitted slowly.

"That would be a start," Snow agreed, smiling slightly as she kissed her husband in reassurance.

"We can do this, David," she whispered. "We can get our daughter back. It's just going to take time and effort."

~..~..~..~..

"So, "Neal asked his father as they drove, realising they weren't heading to the shop, "where are we going?"

Rumple took a deep breath.

"Well, being the intuitive person that I am," he began lightly, "I'm assuming you're now planning on staying in Storybrooke for a while?"

"Don't know how you got that idea," Neal answered with a smile, "but yes. Why?"

"Living in a hotel room isn't really conducive for long term residency," Rumple continued carefully as they approached their destination. "I actually own many apartment buildings in this town," he chanced a glance at his son and saw that he had his boy's attention, "and there is a vacancy, if you'll have it?"

They pulled over at that moment, and Neal looked out to see a small apartment block.

"Here?" He asked, curiously. Turning back to his father, Neal saw the hesitancy in his expression.

"At least come have a look at it, son," he told him.

"Alright," Neal nodded his agreement.

Opening the glove box, Rumple took out some paper work and a small set of keys before opening his car door.

Rumple led the way into the building and up the stairs until Rumple stopped at a doorway a third of the way down the hall.

"Here it is," Rumple held the keys out to his son, indicating which one opened the apartment door.

Shooting a glance at his father, Neal inserted the key and turned.

Stepping into the apartment, Neal had a look around.

The place was small but comfortable, if a little old fashioned, much like everything else in the town, Neal supposed.

It was fully furnished, for which Neal was thankful. Neal didn't want to have to worry about buying furniture.

"So, why is this place vacant?" He asked his father as he headed to check out the bedroom. "I wouldn't think there'd be any vacancies, in a place that had been cursed for twenty eight years."

"You wouldn't think," Rumple agreed, "however, Emma's arrival certainly changed things."

Neal paused at the bedroom doorway to look at his father.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Rumple figured he may as well say it.

"The previous tenant," Rumple began, "was named Graham. He was the Sheriff before Emma, and he made her his deputy not long after her arrival here. He unfortunately died, not long after that, and Emma was elected Sheriff after him."

Neal eyed his father shrewdly.

"How did he die?" He asked.

"Well, the medical records say: Heart attack. Which is unusual, as he was only in his thirties."

"And in reality?" Neal pushed.

"Regina crushed his heart," Rumple stated hesitantly.

Neal's eyebrows shot up.

"Regina?"

"In our homeland," Rumple explained. "Graham was known as 'The Huntsman'. He gave up his own heart so that the Queen would spare Snow White's. He became Regina's slave."

"Poor guy," Neal commented.

"Indeed," Rumple agreed slowly. "After Miss Swan arrived however, Graham began to break away from Regina's leash. He even began to remember who he had once been, in the Enchanted Forest."

"And that's why Regina killed him?" Neal asked.

"It's a possibility," Rumple granted. "Though who really knows what goes on in Regina's mind? Still, she was losing her most valued slave, and if she couldn't keep control over him, I doubt she'd want him to go to the side of the Saviour."

Neal sighed in sympathy for the poor guy as he continued to look around the apartment. The place had been cleaned pretty thoroughly by the looks of it: the walls were bare, the drawers were empty and the furniture had been covered in plastic. It was clear it hadn't been used in a while.

Rumple watched his son with concern, thinking that telling him about the former Sheriff had not been the best idea. Still, he had asked...

"He didn't die in this apartment," Rumple added, "in case you were wondering."

"Don't worry, I'm not afraid of ghosts, if that's what you're thinking," Neal smirked as he headed over to the window, where he could see the Storybrooke clock tower in the distance.

"So, then, "Rumple prompted gently, "what do you think of the apartment?"

Neal looked at his father.

"What's the rent like?" He asked.

"Don't worry about rent," Rumple assured his son.

Neal gave him a look.

"Come on..."

"Isn't that what parents do, they take care of their children, no matter how old they are?" Rumple put forward. "You were right, Bae," Rumple added. "There is no way I can make up for the time we missed together. So _please_," he stepped forward to implore his son, "let me take care of you now."

Neal sighed.

"At least until you find a job here," Rumple amended, hoping to sway his son. "You can't pay rent without some kind of income. I can help you with that, if you-"

Neal held up a hand.

"The apartment's fine for now dad," he told him. "You don't need to try so hard."

"I think I do," Rumple admitted.

"Alright," Neal began. "I will take the apartment, and as soon as I find a job, I'll pay rent."

"Deal," Rumple smiled, though faltered under his son's gaze.

"Sorry," Rumple cleared his throat, reconsidering his word choice. "Uh...that's sounds perfect, son."

He retrieved the paperwork from the inside of his jacket, and after the papers were read and signed, Rumple handed his son the keys.

"Welcome home, Bae," he told his son as he placed the apartment keys in his hand, and he was happy to see that his son was actually smiling at him.

"Thanks you, Papa."

~..~..~..~..

Author's note: So, what do you think?

I'm not sure how Belle and Ariel are going to meet, but as Ariel was always the type of charater to dreamed of adventure on land and learning about the world outside her watery home, I can just see her and Belle becoming friends, as they're so similar, and I wanted to show that possibility here.

Okay, I know Regina has done some truly horrible things in her live, as has Rumple, but when it comes to Henry, she will literally do anything for him. Yes, she has done some bad things, such as with the curse she was going to put on him- but she burnt it- showing she wasn't as heartless as her mother.

However the fact remains that Regina is the one who raised Henry, and I don't really like the fact that Emma and the others seem to be disregarding that. Henry clearly has many traits inherited from his birth parents, but he wouldn't be who he is today if not for Regina, and I think she deserves to be recognised for that.

As such, however, there is the small matter of custody now, and as Henry is the type who would want his family together, I know he would want to see his whole family. I had Neal act as mediator, as he is probably the most neutral of the three of them, as Emma and Regina, I would imagine, still harbour a lot of resentment and anger towards each other.

I also thought it would be interesting to see Neal work a deal of his own, as that's basically what a custody agreement is.

I also believe that, even if Rumple is no longer the Dark One, he still spent centuries learning other forms of magic, not to mention the fact that, as the seer's power was not originally part of his curse, it wouldn't leave him if he were no longer the Dark One.

But, will he really be content with that?

Now, as for Bae, Emma and Henry...

After seeing a clip of 3x02 'Lost Girl' where Emma calls herself an orphan while remembering how it felt to grow up in the system, I was thinking that Neal had probably felt the same, after being abandoned by both parents.

The reason why I had also thought Neal could do a similar speech to Henry, was that a clip of 3x02 'Lost Girl' shows Pan telling Emma that she'll understand Henry now, as he hasn't forgiven her for giving him up either, and by the time she finds him, he won't want to leave. But Neal, though he was once a 'Lost Boy' himself, had eventually left the island, and if it does get to the point on the show where Henry doesn't want to leave, I think Neal may need to be there to encourage his son to leave with is family.

Just a theory!

I am really proud of how I wrote Bae's confession to Emma, as he is able to explain everything he has been through, all of his regrets and fears, as well as the realisations he's come to. And I do believe that Emma will forgive Neal, for much the same reasons as I had Snow tell David. Emma has experienced Neal caring for her, and remembers him that way, but her parents are another story, which is why I think it's going to be more difficult for Emma to forgive Snow and Charming, than it will be to forgive Neal.

Now, as much as I love protective daddy-Charming, I thought that he needed a reality check that being mean to Neal was not the best way to get his daughter's love. I was also thinking- he really hasn't known Emma as his daughter for very long, why would he feel the need to protect her so stongly? Is it just the fact that he's trying to make up for lost time? Well, I think that he wouldn't just be trying to protect his daughter from the man who broke her heart, but that he may be jealous of the fact that Neal was in her heart before he was...

I also wanted to see Rumple finally trying to reconnect with his son, as we've yet to see him really try to, other than the 'deathbed' scene in 2x16 'The Miller's daughter.'

I thought that, as he owned most of the town, apparently, that he would want to give his son somewhere to live, to encourage him to stay, but as Emma found out in the first season, a cursed town doesn't have any vacancies, 'cause no one can get in, and time has stopped. So where would a vacant apartment be? That's when I thought of Graham's old place.

I apologise to any Huntsman lovers if you think that it was in bad taste, but if someone dies and leaves a home vacant, it will get filled at some point. I actually think it's fitting, as Emma's kiss began to break Graham's curse and help him to remember, proving that they had feelings for each other, if the Saviour could break his curse with a kiss. So, surely, for Neal: the True Love of the Savior, to be the one to inherit his apartment, I think is as appropriate as possible, rather than having a stranger move in. Besides, Emma never saw that apartment anyway, so she'd have more connection to Graham at the Sheriff's office, where his jacket probably still hangs, than his apartment.

Okay, I think that's all my theorising. If you need me to clarify my thoughts on anything I've written, please let me know.

And please review!

Okay, I'm really going to go on a break now...until the next idea hits me, anyway!


End file.
